Researchers are

developing

a new type of fuel -

Geeko

Researchers at the German Fraunhofer Institute, which specializes in manufacturing technology and applied materials research, have just developed a promising new type of fuel.

Powerpaste could one day power two-wheeled vehicles, but also cars.

This new type of fuel comes in the form of a paste and contains a significant amount of hydrogen.

This chemical element is seen by many researchers as a solution to replace polluting vehicles.

Unfortunately, the use of hydrogen as a potential source of green fuel for electric vehicles is not yet optimal.

Its transport is not the simplest and its adoption by small and medium vehicles would require the development of an expensive network of service stations.

This is where Powerpaste comes in.

This paste is made from a mixture of powdered magnesium and hydrogen to which an ester - another chemical compound formed from an alcohol and an acid - and a metal salt are added.

It is then imprisoned in cartridges.

Under the pressure of a piston, the Powerpaste is released in a circuit and comes into contact with water which causes the release of hydrogen gas, a source of energy.

Many advantages

The advantages of this paste are numerous.

It has an energy storage density ten times greater than current batteries and other hydrogen fuel cells.

Powerpaste cartridges could therefore be an ideal solution for small and medium vehicles.

In this form, refueling would be easier since it would suffice to change the cartridges.

They could also be easily stored in the vehicle or sold at service stations.

According to IFAM researchers, thanks to its high energy storage density, Powerpaste could very well be used to power electric cars.

It would also extend the autonomy of their battery.

However, it will be necessary to be patient.

Just because researchers have succeeded in developing a fuel system in the form of cartridges does not mean that we can expect to see vehicles incorporating this system on the road anytime soon.

It will indeed be several years before this concept developed in the laboratory is found on lambdas vehicles.

And even if the researchers behind the paste are optimistic, the first real-world tests could dash their hopes.

The concept is nonetheless interesting and promising.

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