Researchers find egg-cellent way to power cars

updated 5:42 p.m. ET Oct. 2, 2007

COLUMBUS, Ohio - Ohio State University researchers say a breakfast byproduct could play a role in a new way of powering cars.

The researchers say they've found that eggshells can help produce hydrogen for fuel cells that mix the gas with oxygen to create energy for running a vehicle. Instead of exhaust, all that's emitted is water vapor.

The current process for obtaining hydrogen also produces carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas. Ohio State engineering professor L.S. Fan says his team has found that when eggshells are added to the process, they absorb the carbon dioxide.

He says they would need to be buried afterward to keep the gas out of the atmosphere.

Fan says using eggshells also would save egg processors money now spent to dump their eggshells in landfills.

MORE FROM INNOVATION

Innovation Section Front

Eye spy: Scientists develop eye-shaped camera Scientists hope for new tricks in data analysis Scientists create world's thinnest balloon DNA barcoding takes on the world Astronaut technology could prevent elderly falls Mystery woman found under van Gogh painting Putting 'cloud computing' to the test Zapping microbes with lasers and enzymes Cars band together to avoid being swiped Sunblock for farm produce as Earth warms Innovation Section Front   Add Innovation headlines to your news reader: