Super Splitters Steal Simulation Limelight

http://sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/56911/title/Aluminum_superatoms_may_split_water

Article Summary:
            A simulation by physicist Priya Vashishta of the University of Southern California suggests that a new way of making hydrogen fuel is possible. His team suggests that tiny clusters of aluminum atoms may be able to extract hydrogen from water. In his simulation, 17 aluminum atoms grouped together (a superatom) were suspended in water, giving them special attributes that might change how they react to water. Molecules of water and hydrogen started moving. Some spots on the superatom were electron hungry, while other spots wanted to give them away. These spots started reacting with the water molecules and the hydrogens started jumping from oxygen to oxygen, eventually ending up on the aluminum superatom. As more hydrogen bonding continued, the hydrogens on the superatom left to join another hydrogen atom, creating a stable two-hydrogen molecule. In about three picoseconds, the reaction produced three hydrogen molecules, each containing two hydrogen atoms. The results of this simulation provide a more clear view of how tiny aluminum particles can catalyze hydrogen production. However, this may not be a reliable way to produce hydrogen molecules for fuel because it is not very practical and faces a lot of criticism.

Relevance/Response:
Honestly, this article intrigues me and confuses me at the same time, which is why I picked it. If this is possible, then we would be able to make a more pure hydrogen fuel. That would be very helpful in eliminating our dependency on fossil fuels. I'm sceptical about how this would actually work in real life though, and how we contain that energy. However, if we could, this would be an efficient way to produce fuel. It would also eliminate car pollution, because the reaction would only give off water vapor. I am interested in seeing more of his studies and conclusions about his hypothesis. If Vashishta is correct, he could play an important role in this new energy craze. Other experiments have hinted at this being possible, so don't denounce him just yet. Some other experiments use atoms like rhodium as a catalyst. In the future it will be interesting to see how many different kinds of atoms can actually make this fuel work!