Alloy could help provide water and power in remote areas

The Engineer
May 4, 2011

Researchers have developed an aluminium alloy that could be used in a new type of mobile technology to convert non-potable water into drinking water while also extracting hydrogen to generate electricity.

Such a technology might be used to provide power and drinking water to villages and also for military operations, said Jerry Woodall, a Purdue University distinguished professor of electrical and computer engineering.

The alloy contains aluminium, gallium, indium and tin. Immersing the alloy in fresh water or salt water causes a spontaneous reaction, splitting the water into hydrogen and oxygen molecules. The hydrogen could then be fed to a fuel cell to generate electricity, producing water in the form of steam as a by-product, Woodall explained.

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