Probably.  Carbonized chicken feather fibers are the cheapest way to store hydrogen.  Using chicken feathers is similar to using animal manure and crop waste.  All three are waste products that can be used to create something new whether it is hydrogen storage, or biofuel. All three are renewable resources.

University of Delaware researchers are the ones who have developed chicken feather fiber hydrogen storage.  Richard P. Wool, professor of chemical engineering and director of the University’s Affordable Composites from Renewable Resources (ACRES) program had this to say, “Carbonized chicken feather fibers have the potential to dramatically improve upon existing methods of hydrogen storage and perhaps pave the way for the practical development of a truly hydrogen-based energy economy.”

Chicken feather fibers (CFF) are made up of hollow tubes composed of keratin.  Heated the keratin creates cross links that make the CFFs stronger.  Heating also causes the CFFs to become more porous creating more surface area.  Ultimately this yields carbonized chicken feather fibers (CCFF) that can hold as much or more hydrogen “than carbon nanotubes or metal hydrides”.

The price differential between the three is amazing.  To create a 20 gallon hydrogen fuel tank out of carbon nanotubes would cost $5.5 million.  The same size hydrogen tank out of metal hydrides would cost $30,000.  Using CCFFs for a 20 gallon hydrogen fuel tank would cost a mere $200.

Unlike a 20 gallon gasoline tank that will allow you to drive between 300 and 400 miles, a 20 gallon hydrogen tank at room temperature and pressure will currently only take you one mile.  Professor Wool estimates that using CCFF will allow cars to travel 300 miles on a 75 gallon hydrogen tank.  Wool’s team hopes “to improve that range.”

The University of Delaware’s ACRES program is also looking at other uses for CCFF such as “hurricane-resistant roofing, lightweight car parts and bio-based computer circuit boards”.  Since two billion pounds of waste chicken feathers are produced each year in the United States, there should be plenty of feathers to work with.

In the words of Chick-fil-A, “Eat Mor Chikin”. Science needs the feathers.

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Entry was posted on Friday, June 26th, 2009 at 2:06 pm under Auto, Green Technology.

Read more entries by Susan Wilson.
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