It might not be something that will ever make it into full-sized and full-scale mass production, but Italian scientists have developed a radio-controlled model car which runs on powered by hydrogen produced from waste aluminium ring pulls from cans.
Inspired by the DeLorean car featured in the Back to the Future films, the car is the first to be powered by aluminium waste and water, using sodium hydroxide as a catalyst. The whole operation is based on the self-generation of hydrogen produced through the reaction of contact between aluminium and sodium hydroxide. This hydrogen, then feeds the fuel cell that produces the energy.
Created by Aleix Llovet and Xavier Salueña, respectively student and professor at School of Industrial and Aeronautic Engineering of Terrassa (UPC-Barcelona Tech), the model called dAlH2Orean in honour of the waste-powered car which inspired it, have now patented the technology.
Salt and vinegar technology
Making things sound even weirder is the use of a vinegar filter to remove traces of nasty hydroxides created during the reaction between the sodium hydroxide and the aluminium. This makes the whole system very clean by neutralising any nasties and recycling wasted aluminium. The only residue that occurs within the filter vinegar, is salt water is the same type that gives flavour to the bag of salt and vinegar crisps (sodium acetate).
Proving just how expensive hydrogen technology can be, despite being model sized, the car would cost around €800. It is thought that the model could be used in educational settings to to explain how a fuel cell works and about the manufacture environmentally sustainable vehicles.
