Photo by V. Miller

Nov. 30, 2005

Solar Production of Hydrogen

Solar Production of Hydrogen from Seawater via Electrolysis
Nilesh Tripuraneni, 14, Fresno, Calif.
Second Place, Discovery Channel Young Scientist Challenge, 2005

Project background: Nilesh had heard about hydrogen-powered cars but understood that producing hydrogen requires fossil fuels. He sought to find a more environmentally friendly approach through solar hydrogen production.

Tactics and results: Nilesh built a solar-powered device that ran an electric current through a beaker full of saltwater. The result: electrolysis, by which water is split into hydrogen and oxygen. By clever manipulation of various gas laws, Nilesh measured the temperature, pressure, and volume of hydrogen gas produced.

Photo by V. Miller

Nilesh found that seawater produced almost as much hydrogen as solutions containing sulfuric acid or sodium hydroxide.

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