10,000 Molecules of Hydrogen per Second

Researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Energy Conversion (MPI CEC) and the Ruhr-Universität Bochum (RUB) have discovered an enzyme that is able to produce 10,000 molecules of hydrogen per second.

This enzyme with a double-iron core called an (FeFe) hydrogenase is the key to the conversion process.

According to the RUB researchers, “In hydrogen production, two electrons get together with two protons. The research team showed that, as expected, the first electron is initially transferred to the iron centre of the enzyme.

“The second transfer on the other hand is to an iron-sulphur cluster that is located in the periphery. It thus forms a temporary storage for the second electron. This ‘super-reduced’ state may be responsible for the extremely high efficiency of the hydrogenase. Subsequently both electrons are transferred in one step from the enzyme to the protons, so that hydrogen is generated.”

And of course, aye, there’s the rub. More research is needed for the scientists using “sensitive spectroscopic methods” to determine the exact process for producing large quantities of hydrogen efficiently. And of course, you already know what my thought is on this subject. I vote “Yes” on proposition “10,000 Molecules H2 Research.”