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Watch hydrogen and oxygen atoms form water in real time

YouTube description: "For the first time ever, researchers have witnessed — in real time and at the molecular-scale — hydrogen and oxygen atoms merge to form tiny, nano-sized bubbles of water. The researchers say it might be 'the smallest bubble ever formed that has been directly viewed.'" 

From NewAtlas:

With high-vacuum transmission electron microscopes, scientists were able to see tiny water bubbles begin to form at the surface of honeycomb-shaped palladium nanoreactors after hydrogen and oxygen were introduced.

Adding hydrogen first followed by oxygen led to the fastest water formation rate. 

The hydrogen atoms would squeeze in the metal, then come back out when oxygen was added to produce water on the palladium's surface.

This could lead to new ways to generate water on demand, both on Earth and in space.

The scientific paper describing the discovery, "Unraveling the adsorption-limited hydrogen oxidation reaction at palladium surface via in situ electron microscopy," was published September 27, 2024 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Below, the abstract.

Palladium (Pd) catalysts have been extensively studied for the direct synthesis of H₂O through the hydrogen oxidation reaction at ambient conditions. This heterogeneous catalytic reaction not only holds considerable practical significance but also serves as a classical model for investigating fundamental mechanisms, including adsorption and reactions between adsorbates. Nonetheless, the governing mechanisms and kinetics of its intermediate reaction stages under varying gas conditions remain elusive. This is attributed to the intricate interplay between adsorption, atomic diffusion, and concurrent phase transformation of catalyst. Herein, the Pd-catalyzed, water-forming hydrogen oxidation is studied in situ, to investigate intermediate reaction stages via gas cell transmission electron microscopy. The dynamic behaviors of water generation, associated with reversible palladium hydride formation, are captured in real time with a nanoscale spatial resolution. Our findings suggest that the hydrogen oxidation rate catalyzed by Pd is significantly affected by the sequence in which gases are introduced. Through direct evidence of electron diffraction and density functional theory calculation, we demonstrate that the hydrogen oxidation rate is limited by precursors’ adsorption. These nanoscale insights help identify the optimal reaction conditions for Pd-catalyzed hydrogen oxidation, which has substantial implications for water production technologies. The developed understanding also advocates a broader exploration of analogous mechanisms in other metal-catalyzed reactions.

ForecastAdvisor: 'Who Has the Most Accurate Weather Forecast for Your Location?

Free, the way we like it.

Above and below, how various apps performed for Charlottesville, Virginia last month and last year.

Note: ForecastAdvisor doesn't rate Apple Weather or Google Weather because they are tougher for third parties to track.

Back story from the Wall Street Journal here.

What is it?

Answer here this time tomorrow.

Hint: smaller than a bread box.

Another: no moving parts.

A third: aluminum.

Made in Japan.

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