Brazilian university develops technology to capture green hydrogen

The Fracture and Fatigue Mechanics Laboratory (LAMEFF) at the Federal University of Ceará (UFC) has created cost-effective and environmentally sustainable technology for extracting green hydrogen, considered an alternative energy source to fossil fuels such as oil and coal, which cause global warming.

During his doctoral research at the UFC's Engineering and Material Sciences Program, physicist Santino Loruan innovated by developing a chitosan membrane tailored for electrolyzers. These electrolyzers facilitate the separation of hydrogen molecules from oxygen within water (H2O). Consequently, the extracted hydrogen transforms into combustible gas, providing a versatile energy source.

Crafted from abundant shrimp or crab shells found along the Brazilian coast, the chitosan membrane supersedes its pricier synthetic counterpart, naphtha. Unlike the nafion membrane, this eco-friendly chitosan alternative poses no environmental hazard upon disposal.

In the research, the electrolyzer was activated using clean energy (solar energy), which made the whole process environmentally sustainable and is why the fuel generated is called “green hydrogen”. When generated by solar energy, hydrogen becomes a clean source of energy.

Engineer Enio Pontes de Deus, coordinator of LAMEFF and advisor to Santino Loruan, elucidates, "Hydrogen inherently lacks color. It's an inert, colorless gas, constituting the most abundant element in the atmosphere. Its 'green' designation arises from its derivation from a renewable source."

The chitosan membrane has been patented by the Federal University of Ceará. Enio Pontes elaborates, "We've patented this membrane. Today, it stands as a product, representing national technology poised to enter the market and compete with other membrane technologies." 

The invention of the membrane will feature prominently among the innovations to be showcased at the upcoming International Conference on Renewable Energy Technologies (Citer), scheduled from June 3 to 5 in Teresina, Piauí state.

The conference will convene 180 speakers from diverse countries across 45 panels, adopting a hybrid format encompassing both face-to-face and remote participation. Organizers anticipate an attendance of 10,000 individuals, including entrepreneurs potentially intrigued by the prospect of industrializing the membrane developed at UFC, alongside other innovative initiatives from Brazil.

In addition to businesspeople, researchers, and renewable energy experts, the conference aims to engage lay individuals interested in science. Ana Paula Rodrigues, president of the Institute for International Cooperation on the Environment and one of the conference's creators, emphasizes, "We need to give the population access to scientific production, to help raise awareness of the importance of science and technology for the development of the country and for the development of humanity.” Admission is free.