 Army scientists add a newly engineered nanopowder with urine and observe unexpected results. Hydrogen releases from the urine at a fast and furious rate. As an army scientist we try to develop new materials and technologies that will benefit particularly the soldier in the field. The research team announced earlier this summer that a nanogalvanic aluminum-based powder they were developing produced pure hydrogen when coming into contact with water. The researchers then observed a similar reaction when adding their powder to any liquid containing water. This powder which we have discovered reacts very fast with water to produce hydrogen. Hydrogen, the most plentiful element in the universe, has the potential to power fuel cells and provide energy to future soldiers. Fuel cells generate power by channeling hydrogen through a series of membranes that split it into positive protons and negatively charged electrons. At the cathode the electrons and protons combine with oxygen resulting in electricity, water and heat. Using the fuel cell you can generate power. One kilogram of aluminum powder can produce 220 kilowatts of power in three minutes. In space astronauts recycle wastewater and urine because drinking water is a precious commodity. For soldiers in austere environments there are many precious commodities, but power and energy is increasingly important to run communications and electronics gear. And urine is usually not in short supply. When we demonstrated it with urine we saw almost a factor of two-fold increase in the reaction rates. And so in some ways we're all very excited because it opens it up for additional potential applications that the rates are so fast and so efficient. The team is still investigating why urine causes a faster reaction, but it may have something to do with the electrolytes and the acidity of the liquid they said. I'm excited about it because it was sort of a spontaneous finding. We weren't expecting to develop this material specifically for hydrogen production and it was a group effort. In a statement the laboratory director Dr. Philip Percanti said it may find great utility for forward deployed troops who need a compact and lightweight energy source. We've had an overwhelming response to at least the initial video that we released and we've been having industry partners, multiple industry partners contact us inquiring about potential licensing. We've had numerous universities contact us. Army partners have also reached out to us. In the coming months the team will continue to investigate and push the limits of the discovery to try and understand its implications. From Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, David McNally, ARL TV.