The Power of Pee

Cars and devices could soon be powered by hydrogen extracted from urine

By Anna Maria Jakubek Posted 07.08.2009 at 5:54 pm 7 Comments

Urine Sample Cups Image courtesy of Daquella manera via Flickr.com

Because it’s the universe’s most abundant element, hydrogen is a good candidate for a renewable energy source. But there’s a problem: the finicky element is difficult to manage. Storing it in its pure form is a hassle that requires high pressure and low temperature, and unbinding it from paired elements used to stabilize it comes with significant secondary energy costs.

Fortunately, though, there’s urine to the rescue.

Gerardine Botte, an Ohio University professor, sees the liquid as a solution thanks to the particular composition of its major component, urea. Its make-up, a 2-to-1 ratio of hydrogen and nitrogen, is convenient because hydrogen can be extracted from nitrogen using much less electricity than that needed to, say, pull apart hydrogen and oxygen. (It’s a matter of 0.037 Volts versus 1.23 Volts, if you really need to know.)

Botte has recently come up with a nickel-based electrode that can do just that: dip the electrode into urine, apply electrical current, and voila, hydrogen is released. While the research is still in an initial phase, it’s possible that urine could power cars, homes, and various devices in as near of a future as six months from now.

Via: Discovery.com

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7 Comments

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ecobase

07/17/09 at 3:14 pm

Wow that's a lot of pee :)

Mira - http://www.cosmeticdentistryfaq.net/

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Verblist

07/17/09 at 3:47 pm

Wow! That is genius! Genius, and incredibly vital! In this day in age anything that conserves energy is drastically needed. . . But, technology that not only conserves energy but also allows for use of a "waste," material that is always in abundance and completely sustainable . . . THAT . . . is golden! . . . Pardon the pun, lol. Can't wait to hear of more possibilities that will arise from this break-thru. Also cant wait to put this tech in use. . . One mans pee, is another mans petrol!

-Verblist

Verblist.net

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saternius

07/19/09 at 3:44 am

I didnt think my pee was that powerful :)

http://www.tendances-de-mode.com

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chilsta69

07/19/09 at 11:08 am

that is really really wicked...
in the future instead of making everyone pitch in for gas we can just tell people to urinate in the tank if we run out in the middle of nowhere...
thats what im talking about!
lol

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simplecj

07/21/09 at 7:23 pm

I can smell it now... =x

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Dem

10/24/09 at 6:47 pm

That is hott!! but hopefully you can get it to smell like flowers..lol or not smell at all.

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