Mobile energy for the future
How zinc and water can charge smartphones
In this project, we and our scientific partners aimed to develop a demand-oriented, location-independent generation of hydrogen (H2) for a fuel cell. The technology is based on the chemical reaction of zinc and water, which is used to generate hydrogen on demand. The system consists of a device where zinc pellets react with water in a chamber, releasing hydrogen. The hydrogen produced is then passed through a special catalyst that converts the hydrogen into electricity.
Compared to other mobile charging options such as portable solar chargers or mobile batteries, zinc-hydrogen technology has the advantage that it is independent of sunlight or power sources and can therefore be used anywhere. Furthermore, zinc is a cost-efficient and sustainable fuel compared to other fuels such as natural gas or diesel.
So far, the technology is still in the development stage and no practical applications have been implemented. However, it is possible that in the future portable chargers and other devices could be equipped with this technology to provide reliable and cost-efficient power supply on the go.
Further topics
Sustainability