SYDNEY, Sept. 9 (Xinhua) -- Researchers in Australia have developed a plug-and-play device that produces cleaner, industry-grade hydrogen peroxide at higher concentrations, potentially transforming global chemical production.
The researchers have developed a compact, electricity-powered system that produces industry-grade hydrogen peroxide at concentrations of up to 60 percent from just water and air, according to a statement released Tuesday by Australia's University of Queensland (UQ).
Hydrogen peroxide is "a workhorse chemical" widely used across industries for water purification, agriculture, paper bleaching, chemical manufacturing, hospital disinfection, and even rocket propulsion, said UQ researcher Mike Tebyetekerwa who designed the technology.
The desk-top sized device could cut red-tape associated with producing, storing and transporting hydrogen peroxide, Tebyetekerwa said.
Commercial hydrogen peroxide production has relied on the same complicated process since the 1930s, involving extra chemicals that must be removed to purify the product, he said.
This method requires large factories to mass-produce the chemical, which is then shipped and stored under strict regulations, adding cost for industries, Tebyetekerwa added.
"Our technology makes the chemical we need on site, in the quantity we need and at the concentration we require, with the push of a button," he said. "It is very safe; it reduces carbon emissions and transport costs, and there's no wastage."
"This is the future of chemical production -- local, on demand and sustainable," said Bowen Wang, co-founder of Brisbane-based startup Evimien Energy, which is partnering with UQ to commercialize the innovation and actively seeking investors to bring it to market. ■
