dAlH2Orean aluminum powered R/C car - Click above to watch video after the jump
If you're having a hard time pronouncing this new R/C car's name, think Back to the Future. A two-man professor and student team created the dAlH2Orean, pronounced, yes, "delorean," as an homage to the classic film. According to the creators, professor Xavier Salueña and student Aleix Llovet, this is the first R/C car to run on aluminum soda can rings and sodium hydroxide. It's not a Mr. Fusion, but it is one step closer than we had before.
How does it work? When combined with water, aluminum reacts with sodium hydroxide and gives off hydrogen. The hydrogen then passes through a vinegar filter which removes traces of hydroxides. A second filter containing silica gel removes moisture from the hydrogen which then goes into a fuel-cell stack to generate electricity. This electricity is then used to power a small electric motor.
The dAlH2Orean has a top speed of 30km/h (18.6mph) and can run for a very respectable 40 minutes on one tank. This R/C car is only part of a larger project dubbed 'Alumini' where the creators hope to build a 5-60 hp microcar using this technology. We highly recommend you check out the video of this R/C car in action after the break.
[Source: dAlH2Orean | Image: dAlH2Orean]
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