Can nuclear waste help make clean hydrogen fuel?
A new study from the University of Sharjah suggests we could use spent nuclear fuel—yes, the stuff usually considered dangerous waste—to make hydrogen production cleaner and more efficient.
Since most hydrogen is still made with fossil fuels, this idea could help us tap into a greener energy source without extra pollution or contamination risks.
Four creative ways nuclear waste could boost hydrogen
Researchers outlined four methods: using radiation from nuclear waste to split water molecules (which ups hydrogen output), swapping pricey platinum for uranium as a cheaper catalyst in electrolysis, improving steam-methane reforming with uranium to cut down on carbon buildup, and using leftover heat from nuclear waste to power reactions instead of burning more fuel.
If these ideas work out, old nuclear waste might actually help power a cleaner future.