Researchers in the US have developed a new nanotechnology catalyst which could lead to the production of the first fuel cells to be powered by alcohol, it was revealed on Monday (January 26th).

Scientists at the US department of energy's Brookhaven National Laboratory created an electrocatalyst from platinum and rhodium atoms on carbon-backed tin dioxide nanoparticles, TechRadar UK reports.

The new element - which can break carbon bonds at room temperature with only carbon dioxide as a by-product - means that ethanol can now be oxidised into the necessary hydrogen ions and electrons required to create electricity.

Radoslav Adzic, one of the chemists involved in the tests, told the news provider: "Ethanol is easy to produce, renewable, non-toxic, relatively easy to transport and has a high energy density.

"In addition, with some alterations, we could reuse the infrastructure that's currently in place to store and distribute petrol."

The development is particularly significant as scientists have been attempting to find potential eco-friendly replacements for heavy lithium ion batteries.

Traditional fuel cells - which convert hydrogen and oxygen into water with electricity as a by-product - are limited by the fact that hydrogen is difficult to store and dangerous to transport, but ethanol fuel cells could solve those issues.

Source:

Booze-powered cars coming soon (26/01/09)
http://www.techradar.com/news/world-of-tech/booze-powered-cars-coming-soon-513666