"Solid" gases to simplify fuelling and shribk tank

Under www.wissenschaft.de there is an article reporting that scientists mixed into water a hydrophobe kind of Silicondioxyde. The result is water in the form of a powder. Six grams of this powder can absorb and bind one litre of methane.

The methane is released again when the temperature is increased. The water can be released by pressing the powder.

It is thought that gas-consuming cars can be fueled with that powder - only the capacities of their tanks need to be increased.

Could this be applied to Methane-engines for rockets? What about application to other gases of interest? Or to mining Methane on the Moon (Shackleton Crater Company)?

The article refers to Andrew Cooper and his team at the University of Liverpool and to News@Nature ( www.nature.com/news/2008/080903/full/ne ... .1077.html ), DOI: 10.1038/news.2008.10 .



Dipl.-Volkswirt /bdvb) Augustin (Political Economist)