Vietnamese scientists seek to create clean fuel to replace gasoline

The research work "Polymer structure and catalytic mechanism of hydrogen generation of amorphous molybdenum sulfide" by Dr. Tran Dinh Phong, Hanoi University of Science and Technology (Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology) was awarded the Ta Quang Buu Award in 2018.

At the honoring ceremony held on May 18 in Hanoi, Tran Dinh Phong attracted the media when, at the age of 37, he had 38 articles published in international journals in the ISI system, especiallyNature MaterialsandNanoletters -two of the world's leading journals in materials science.

The research direction that he and his colleagues are conducting is also special in finding a way to create an artificial leaf (based on the natural photosynthesis mechanism of green leaves), using only solar energy and seawater to create clean hydrogen fuel."For us, this is a beautiful dream, it is worth trying our best," Dr. Phong shared.

To date, researchhave discovered the complete structure and working mechanism of the catalyst that produces hydrogen from seawater, opening up the possibility of finding new materials that work better, thereby gradually replacing the expensive material of white gold.

Phong said that this is a basic research direction so it is not possible to immediately have results for application, but it is possible.provide certain insights for further research.

Currently, Dr. Phong has the first version of the artificial leaf capable of producing hydrogen from seawater and solar energy with an efficiency of 3%. To reach the technological threshold for energy production, at least 10% is needed. "In the future, we will continue to research to meet the 10% requirement. Hopefully, it will not be too far away to create an artificial leaf," said Dr. Phong.

Solar energy is abundant in nature, but there are only technologies such as solar cells, hot water. As for converting hydrogen from seawater and solar energy into fuel to replace gasoline, there is a group in Tokyo and many large research centers following this research direction, but have not reached the final result. There is a research group that has created an artificial leaf with 30% efficiency, but the price is too expensive to be applicable in industry. Because the problem of energy is not only efficiency but also price.

Recently, some groups in Vietnam have followed this research direction. "This is a good sign because to achieve a big goal, many people need to work together, approaching from many directions. It is very possible that our approach is not perfect. Maybe others will learn from our group's successes and failures to do better," Phong sincerely shared..

Afraid to talk about myself

Although very happy to be honored, Dr. Phong hesitated to talk about himself because he "wanted to wait until the final results were available". He was cautious because for someone doing basic research, finding results to increase the energy efficiency of the artificial leaf from 3 to 10% "could take only 6 months, but it could also take 20 years".

The path Phong chose was not easy. Deciding to return to Vietnam to work after more than 11 years in France and Singapore, with experience working in the laboratory of an Academician of the French Academy, he aspired to build a strong research group with an international standard laboratory when he had nothing. He always kept in mind that only with his own laboratory could he focus on research in the direction he was passionate about.

Dr. Phong has mobilized and established a 120 m2 laboratory with basic, synchronous equipment and some modern machines such as: electrochemical analyzer, material morphology analyzer... Currently, the laboratory has cooperated with research groups in Japan and France. Under the guidance of Dr. Phong, many young students are also "drawn" to follow his path of scientific passion.

Dr. Phong smiled and said, "For me, the first months of building a research group at the University of Science and Technology were very special." Despite many difficulties, he was happy with his decision to return to Vietnam to work. He also expressed his appreciation when the National Foundation for Science and Technology Development and the Science Councils chose to sponsor him to quickly develop his research direction and group.

The young scientist hopes that there will be many similar research funding funds and scholarship funds for excellent graduate students and students established in the near future. "If that happens, I believe that the research capacity of universities, institutes, research groups and individual scientists will gradually be improved," Dr. Phong expressed.

Just one day after standing on the podium of the Ta Quang Buu Award, Dr. Phong is busy with his teaching in Korea. He confided that his upcoming plan is to continue spending more time on research to soon create an artificial leaf that meets technical requirements. Although he knows that the road to building an artificial leaf factory is still very far. "We will make efforts to have results soon," Dr. Phong emphasized.