The new technology produces hydrogen by passing a mixture of water and ethanol through a quartz tube that contains a catalyst with metal rhodium, and applying heat using microwaves. The tube also contains silicon carbide, which readily absorbs microwaves.

The tube is placed in a desktop-size aluminum box, the interior of which is then irradiated with microwaves. The opening through which the microwaves enter can be freely adjusted to ensure that they are internally reflected and do not escape.

Experiments using 2.45GHz microwaves demonstrated that a reaction occurs in around 10 seconds and that 0.92 liters of hydrogen can be obtained from 1ml of a 50-50 ethanol-water mixture. The energy conversion efficiency is around 80 per cent, twice as high as conventional technologies.

The research findings will be presented at the Ceramic Society of Japan's annual conference in Nagaoka, Niigata Prefecture, on March 20.