Borax May Soon Run Car Engines

Dec. 14 -- How do you develop a safe, clean-burning fuel for cars of the future? Surprisingly, the answer may lie in a common, soapy chemical.

For years, visionaries have proposed that the world switch from using hydrocarbons — fossil fuels such as diesel oil, gasoline and coal — to pure hydrogen. It is the most abundant element on earth and when "burned," produces only non-polluting water and heat.

Unfortunately, hydrogen can also explode very easily, making it difficult to use in cars. Storage tanks for hydrogen-powered cars would have to be sturdy and heavy enough to prevent Hindenberg-like explosions during collisions.

Powered by Borax

But Millennium Cell Inc., a privately held company in Eatontown, N.J., has developed a unique solution to mitigate the dangers of hydrogen fuel.

The company's Hydrogen on Demand fuel technology is based on a compound of sodium borohydride. The chemical — derived from borax, an ingredient found in most laundry detergents — is dissolved in water to produce a stable and non-flammable liquid.

When the liquid is combined with Millennium Cell's patented catalyst, an instant chemical reaction produces liquid borax and pure hydrogen gas. The hydrogen can then be immediately burned in an engine or used in a fuel cell which converts the gas directly into electricity and water.

Safe and Reusable

Stephen Tang, the chief executive officer of Millennium Cell, says this setup offers various unique advantages.

For one, the system is completely safe since it produces the dangerous hydrogen gas only as needed. Once the flow of sodium borohydride over the catalyst stops, so does the production of hydrogen. The sodium borohydride is also safe enough to be stored in standard fuel tanks, saving on weight and complexity.

The fuel technology is also completely non-polluting. When the Millennium scheme is used in conjunction with a fuel cell, the only by-products are non-toxic liquid borax and water.