Hydrogen is seen as a clean fuel of the future by energy experts and many car manufacturers are working on experimental models.

Such cars produce no exhaust gases apart from harmless water vapor. However there are a number of problems to be overcome before the fuel becomes readily available on the forecourt – and this has created an opportunity for a faculty member at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST).

Dr Kuo-Wei Huang, an Assistant Professor at the Division of Chemical and Life Sciences and Engineering, is developing a new way of storing and using hydrogen to power both cars and mobile devices such as phones and laptops. And the potential has been recognized by the university’s Seed Fund Program, which has given Dr Huang a grant to help him develop his idea.

Dr Huang, 35, is one of eight applicants awarded a total of almost $1 million in the first round of this Economic Development Department initiative.

One existing type of hydrogen-powered vehicle has a fuel cell that uses the gas – which is stored in a pressurized tank – to generate electricity that in turn powers a motor.

The key to Dr Huang’s system is the idea that hydrogen can be stored by combining it with carbon dioxide to create formic acid. Hydrogen can then be recovered to be used as fuel by breaking the acid down into its component parts.

Dr Huang’s system would use a fuel cell and electric motor in the same way as existing set-ups, but the hydrogen would be stored as formic acid instead of as a pressurized gas. A catalyst would be used to release the hydrogen from the acid.

The challenge is to develop a way of attaching the catalyst to another substance so that it can be put to practical use.

"We have the catalyst already and we are currently working on integrating the catalyst with a solid support and linking the system to a hydrogen fuel cell," said Dr Huang. "You attach catalysts to polymers or silicas so they can be immobilized.

"We don’t replace the fuel cell, we replace the way hydrogen is used. The hydrogen is stored in formic acid and then we use a catalyst to selectively decompose the acid into carbon dioxide and hydrogen.

"This catalyst’s reactivity with formic acid has been discussed during scientific presentations but the way it can be integrated for practical applications, the way it can be immobilized and the way it can work have never been discussed publicly, so that is what we can patent.

"The catalyst is known, the application is unknown. We wish to complete this part and then patent the process and develop it commercially."

Dr Huang believes his system would have a number of benefits over existing methods.

"Current fuel cell cars use hydrogen from a gas tank and the volumetric capacity is low because the density of hydrogen is very small," he added. "Even if we store hydrogen at high pressure the volumetric capacity is very low. By using formic acid we have the advantage of higher volumetric capacity of hydrogen storage. If existing hydrogen car systems were replaced with our technology you could expect 50 per cent more mileage. "High-pressure hydrogen is potentially dangerous and because formic acid is liquid it is very easy to handle, transport and deliver, and it is not flammable and that means it is safer than storing gasoline."

The mobile device version would enable users to recharge their phones simply by replacing a formic acid cartridge. This would be of particular use to those who do not have access to mains electricity, such as military personnel in the field. And the formic acid system could be combined with existing rechargeable battery technology.

"This would double the battery life with the same battery space. A laptop that normally lasts four hours would last eight."

But wouldn’t it be dangerous to walk around with a mobile phone containing acid in your pocket?

"It is corrosive because it’s an acid but with the proper design it can be safely contained in the cartridge."

The Seed Fund finance will enable Dr Huang to recruit the chemist and chemical engineer he needs to proceed with the project, and he believes he will be able to show results within two years.

"We hope to produce prototypes and submit a patent application and in time we hope to demonstrate our technology to car and mobile phone companies and gain their attention so they integrate our system into their products."

Dr Huang describes his technology as "futuristic" and concedes that the idea may not take off for some years as its success will depend on progress being made in parallel areas of research. But he believes that as supplies of fossil fuels decline his method will come into its own.

"At this time we don’t see an immediate need to replace current technology – but our technology will be useful, that day will definitely come. And even one per cent of the market would mean millions of dollars per year."

Dr Huang – known to friends as Andy – moved to KAUST last October from the National University of Singapore, where he was an Assistant Professor of Chemistry.

He is from Taiwan and received his doctoral degree from Stanford University in the US. He has a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from the National Taiwan University.

He was a Dr Yuan T. Lee Fellow at the National Taiwan University (1993-97), a Regina Casper Fellow at Stanford University (2002-04), and a Gertrude and Maurice Goldhaber Distinguished Fellow at Brookhaven National Laboratory in the US (2004-07).

He is married to Ming-Ming Chou and the couple have three children – Titania, nine, Allister, seven, and Alvin, five. His daughter shares her name with the queen of the fairies in Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream – he chose the name because at the time she was born he was experimenting in the lab with titanium, which became the main theme of his PhD dissertation.

Bookmark this page and check back over the next few weeks to find out what inspired other winners’ ideas and learn of their hopes for their ventures.

Help for Innovators Who Mean Business

The Seed Fund Program offers finance and support to students, faculty and staff at KAUST who wish to transform their ideas and discoveries into commercial ventures.

The first eight recipients will share a total of $988,000 and receive additional funds from the university to cover administration costs. Dr Huang was awarded $155,734 plus an additional $25,000 for administration.

"I think the Seed Fund is very encouraging and provides a great opportunity for us to commercialize our technology," he said.

The closing date for applications for the second round of grants is July 31. Applications should be submitted through the portal. Inquiries about round two and the program should be sent to seedfund@kaust.edu.sa and further information is available at www.kaust.edu.sa.

For a list of other winners: Student Entrepreneurs Win Grants In First Seed Fund Round