Researchers at Oregon State University have created a new material that uses light to produce hydrogen from water. The finding could make solar fuel cheaper and more practical.

The study was led by Kyriakos Stylianou of the OSU College of Science. The findings were published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society.

The material is a metal organic framework, or MOF, called BVR-19. These are crystalline, porous materials built from metal ions surrounded by organic molecules. Their structures can be tuned for specific uses.

BVR-19 has an unusual feature: a sulfide-to-sulfide bond that temporarily breaks when exposed to light. This creates highly reactive sulfur species that drive hydrogen production.

Unlike conventional approaches, the material relies on its sulfur-containing organic parts rather than an expensive metal catalyst. No additional costly metal catalyst is required, Stylianou said.

The material also forms spontaneously in water solutions at room temperature. That gives it a strong energy advantage in manufacturing.

Hydrogen is used in fuel cells for cars, and in making ammonia, refining metals and producing plastics. Splitting water with light is far cleaner than making hydrogen from natural gas.