Scientists in the US have accidentally discovered a new way to produce graphene oxide directly from natural gas, which could lower production costs and generate clean hydrogen.
The discovery was made by a research team at Texas A&M University (TAMU), in College Station. It reportedly emerged during a project that was initially aimed at improving hydrogen production.
Instead of treating carbon as a byproduct, the team realized they had created a valuable carbon nanomaterial, which is widely used in batteries, electronics, and advanced manufacturing.
David Staack, PhD, an associate professor at the university, said the hydrogen was the team’s original target, while carbon was considered a secondary product. “As we continued the research, we realized the carbon material we were producing was actually one of the most valuable outcomes,” Staack noted.
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