TU-TESL

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(source: Official Website of Illinois) researchers have long regarded it as one of the potential alternatives to fossil fuels. Using this kind of fuel can solve the emission problem caused by fossil fuel. However, due to low production efficiency and high cost, it is difficult to expand the scale of hydrogen fuel production. According to foreign media reports, research teams from the University of Illinois and the University of California Davis found that hydrogen can be synthesized more simply and effectively by using biological enzymes. A team led by Thomas rauchfuss, a professor of chemistry at the University of Illinois, found that hydrogen production by hydrogenase is much more efficient than the current process. Specifically, they studied ferrohydrolase, which produces hydrogen faster than another ferronickel hydrogenase. Hydrogenase is a machine that makes and burns hydrogen in nature. "Hydrogenase can be seen as a small machine embedded in fluffy proteins, the active site," rauchfuss said Depending on the environment, these enzymes either "eat" or secrete H2. By analyzing the chemical composition of the active site of the enzyme, the researchers found that the engine of the enzyme may be composed of two identical groups. There are five chemicals in the group: two carbon monoxide molecules, one cyanide ion, one iron ion and one cysteine group. These groups form tightly bonded units, and the two units are combined to provide a total of 10 components. Researchers are looking for the right chemical composition to synthesize a hydrogenase based on iron iron balance, which can effectively react with hydrogen and be used in potential fuel production. Rauchfuss said experiments showed that their formula was incomplete. In fact, the active site engine needs 11 parts instead of 10. The researchers plan to continue the research to find the last piece of puzzle.