Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource

Researchers at SSRL and Stanford have taken a step closer to hydrogen-run cars by adding hydrogen to tiny cylinders made entirely out of carbon. Recent experiments at SSRL and the Advanced Light Source in Berkeley have shown that carbon nanotubes, 50,000 times narrower than a human hair, are a promising material for storing hydrogen safely, efficiently and compactly. To attempt to store hydrogen, the researchers bombarded a film of carbon nanotubes with a hydrogen beam. Then they studied the film with different x-ray spectroscopy techniques to see if any hydrogen atoms had formed chemical bonds with the carbon.

The chemically treated wood used for playgrounds, fences and decks appears to be less toxic than feared. The chromated copper arsenate (CCA) mix protects commercial outdoor grade lumber from weathering, but in recent years the public and the government realized the chemicals could be potentially risky to the many people exposed to the ubiquitous wood.