Cans and hydrogen
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This week we’re delving a little into science, as two US studies involving aluminium, cans and hydrogen have come to light.
The first was an experiment conducted by experts at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), which discovered that hydrogen is produced when aluminium in its pure form is mixed with seawater.
To demonstrate their findings, the experts dropped pretreated aluminium pellets into a beaker of filtered seawater. The pure aluminium was scrubbed with a rare-metal alloy to allow it to interact with the seawater and generate hydrogen. Apparently, this reaction accelerated when coffee grounds were introduced to the solution; the researchers found that a minor concentration of imidazole, an active component of caffeine, could take the reaction time from the original two hours to just five minutes. The hydrogen produced from this process could be used to fuel engines and cells without producing carbon emissions.
The researchers of this study are reportedly working on developing a small reactor that could function on a marine vessel or underwater vehicle.
Additionally, a future where trucks, trains, and even planes can be powered by aluminium and seawater might not be too far away. “The next part is to figure out how to use this for trucks, trains, and maybe airplanes. Perhaps, instead of having to carry water as well, we could extract water from the ambient humidity to produce hydrogen. That’s down the line,” noted study lead author, Aly Kombargi, a PhD student at MIT.
It all sounds like a promising road to clean energy.
The second study, conducted by Archer Roose in collaboration with Cornell University’s Food Science Department, examines hydrogen sulphide (H2S) formation in canned wines.
As part of the study, commercial wines were stored in either glass or aluminium beverage cans with one of three liners, for up to 32 weeks.
The results showed that wines stored in glass showed negligible H2S production after 32 weeks. Wines stored in acrylic lined cans produced up to 1307 μg/L H2S (median = 162 μg/L) within eight weeks. Wines stored in BPA epoxy cans produced less H2S (maximum = 51.8 μg/L median = 11.8 μg/L after 32 weeks), with comparable performance observed for BPA non-intent (BPA-NI) epoxy liners.
Dr Gavin Sacks, professor of Food Science at Cornell University, elaborated on the findings and their impact: “This study has helped better define the wine composition that’s acceptable for canning, and the role of proper can selection in ensuring wine longevity. We’ve determined that wine makers need to limit sulphites in their canned wines more than in typical bottled wines. Sulphites are important for avoiding wine spoilage, but they can also react with aluminium cans if they are at too-high concentrations. This information is crucial for all wineries aiming to produce high-quality canned wine without concerns about storage-related issues.”
Jan Kotowski-Chang, chief operating officer at Archer Roose, commented: “By openly sharing this knowledge, we’re fostering an environment of collaboration and continuous improvement within the industry; and helping the industry embrace eco-friendly packaging without sacrificing the quality of the experience.”
It’s true that nobody wants an “eggy” flavoured wine caused by too-high concentrations of hydrogen sulphide, so this research marks a significant milestone in the canned wine sector.
Keep the studies coming!
- Alex Rivers (she/her), CanTech International editor
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