Corn-Waste Hydrogen Could Fuel Future Cars

Apr-10-15 Researchers have developed a way to create hydrogen fuel from corn waste products that results in a superior product faster and with less cost than conventional methods.

Developed by a team at Virginia Tech, the method is based on the team's earlier explorations in cellulose to glucose conversions in stover (the waste products of corn). A specialized set of genetic algorithms was used to analyze each step of the conversion process, enabling the team to confirm that the new system could use the two plant sugars, glucose and xylose, at the same time instead of sequentially like previous methods. This dual-sugar ability triples the reaction rate while also reducing the size of the production facility, and could help usher in widespread hydrogen fuel use.

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