Comment on New fuel cell could enable electric aviation
shortwavesurfer@lemmy.zip 5 days ago
Um, hold up a second. That snippet of the article said that it produces something that’s commonly used as a drain cleaner. That does not sound safe. I don’t particularly go around breathing drain cleaner fumes.
darkmarx@lemmy.world 5 days ago
Continue reading.
Sodium Hydroxide, when exposed to Carbon Dioxide (already in the air), combines to become Sodium Carbinate.
NaOH + CO2 → Na2CO3 + H2O
Sodium Carbinate then reacts with water and more Carbon Dioxide to become Dodium Bicarbinate, which is baking soda.
Na2CO3 + CO2 + H2O → 2 NaHCO3
Not only does a Sodium Oxyde fuel cell produce electricity, it takes CO2 out of the atmosphere.
From a physics and chemistry point of view, it’s pretty cool. I’m curious how well it scales though.
sem@lemmy.blahaj.zone 5 days ago
It still might be problematic around airports if people on the ground breathe it in before it reacts. And what about all the sodium bicarbonate precipitating all over the ground? That’s bound to affect the local environment before it ends up in the oceans…
That said who knows maybe it’s better than the carbon dioxide alternative
pastermil@sh.itjust.works 4 days ago
So we’d be having baking soda floating around in the air? I’m not sure if that would be safer to breathe than the carbon dioxide we currently have.
Allero@lemmy.today 4 days ago
I fancy you don’t have to release it in the air and can land with it.
And then you get free soda!