US University Develops Water Treatment Alloy

Researchers at Purdue University in the US have developed an aluminium alloy that could be used to convert non-potable water into drinking water, while also extracting hydrogen to generate electricity.

The alloy contains aluminium, gallium, indium and tin, which will split the water into hydrogen and oxygen molecules when immersed in freshwater or saltwater.

The hydrogen can be fed to a fuel cell to generate electricity, producing water in the form of steam as a by-product.

Purdue University Professor of electrical and computer engineering Jerry Woodall said the technology will provide power and drinking water to villages and military operations.

“The steam would kill any bacteria contained in the water, and then it would condense to purified water,” Woodall said.

With this new alloy, potable water could be produced for about $1 per gallon, and electricity could be generated for about $0.35 per kilowatt hour of energy.