An unusual reaction could revolutionize the entire fuel industry.

Scientists at the US Army Aberdeen Proving Ground Research Laboratory have been able to create an alloy that has a very interesting function. The water poured on its surface begins to boil and finally can produce hydrogen gas.

Usually, aluminum exposed to water oxidises and creates a protective barrier to prevent other eventual reactions. The hydrogen-powered reaction continued, demonstrating the possibility of a cheap and portable hydrogen source. -Science Alert

This breakthrough is likely to relaunch the entire hydrogen fuel industry.

This this simple reaction between aluminum and water could be a sustainable source of energy at a global scale. Until now, hydrogen production by using aluminum water had a complicated process: in the past it required some catalysts and a very high temperature, but now, the whole process takes less than three minutes, the efficiency being almost 100%.

With the new alloy, H can be produced anytime without any need of special pressurized transport or containers. It is a material that does not degrade with the passage of time. The whole process is based on aluminum, the cheapest and most common alloy in the world.