It’s currently a work in progress and it’s often that articles don’t go into full detail on that work but it links to this this article which goes into further detail and may answer some of your questions. Constructive comments are more appreciated than cynicism
Comment on German battery recharges using sunlight, releases hydrogen on demand
Buffalox@lemmy.world 2 weeks ago
to combine with protons, thereby releasing hydrogen.
Yes a hydrogen ion is the same as a proton.
The article claims it is rechargeable, and release the energy as hydrogen. But after releasing hydrogen, where does the hydrogen come from for the next charge?
This article explains nothing. Also you can’t just magically “change the PH value.” There needs to be a process that does that, and that process is in no way explained.
This reeks of bullshit.
SteveKLord@slrpnk.net 2 weeks ago
poVoq@slrpnk.net 2 weeks ago
Yeah, the article isn’t very good. Reading the Nature paper is seams like they use TEA as a sacrificial donor in this proof of concept, which obviously wouldn’t work in an actual rechargeable battery. But the co-polymers their used are apparently similar to those often used in redox-flow batteries, so I could imaging it would be possible to build such a battery, and re-charge it by circulating the liquids through a large solar tray.