Hongjie Dai and colleagues have developed a cheap,
emissions-free device that uses a 1.5-volt battery to split water into hydrogen
and oxygen. The hydrogen gas could be used to power fuel cells in
zero-emissions vehicles.
In 2015, American consumers will finally be able to purchase
fuel cell cars from Toyota and other manufacturers. Although touted as
zero-emissions vehicles, most of the cars will run on hydrogen made from
natural gas, a fossil fuel that contributes to global warming.