2
$\begingroup$

Given the possibility that metallic hydrogen may have recently been produced, and the massive media bloviation that followed, I am curious about some of the "properties" that I heard from multiple media outlets.

  1. Does metallic hydrogen decompose to mono-atomic hydrogen, then recombine to diatomic hydrogen?

  2. How much energy is produced by the decomposition?

  3. How certain are we that it will be stable(ish) at STP?

Improve this question
$\endgroup$
5
  • 3
    $\begingroup$ The Harvard Gazette had a story on metallic hydrogen. One of the authors is quoted with "One prediction that’s very important is metallic hydrogen is predicted to be meta-stable...”. This sounds like an interesting perspective, but at this point, it seems to lack experimental proof. $\endgroup$
    – Klaus-Dieter Warzecha
    Commented Mar 25, 2017 at 7:18
  • 2
    $\begingroup$ Great link @KlausWarzecha . The research group did claim they made shiny, electrically conductive metallic hydrogen though. However, Wikipedia's metallic hydrogen page pointed out that "Shortly after the claim was published in Science, Nature's news division published an article stating that some other physicists regarded the result with skepticism. Recently, prominent members of the high pressure research community have criticised the claimed results, questioning the claimed pressures or the presence of hydrogen at the pressures claimed." So, it is definitely controversial! $\endgroup$
    – airhuff
    Commented Mar 25, 2017 at 15:07
  • 2
    $\begingroup$ Regarding stability, like @KlausWarzecha said, it's predicted to be meta-stable. The grand claim is that it will be a room-temp solid (the Harvard group wasn't sure if they had liquid metal or solid metal) superconductor, also having enormous energy density, as you would imagine. Unfortunately, according to this Wikipedia article: "In February 2017, it was reported that the sample of claimed metallic hydrogen was lost, after the diamond anvils it was contained between broke." So for now, it sounds like it's more "meta" than "stable" ;) $\endgroup$
    – airhuff
    Commented Mar 25, 2017 at 15:21
  • $\begingroup$ @airhuff Glad that you had a look at the more recent Wkipedia article, which I didn't do. A detailled comment on the initial article is freely available at arxiv.org. Your closing statement is right on the button :) $\endgroup$
    – Klaus-Dieter Warzecha
    Commented Mar 25, 2017 at 16:14
  • 1
    $\begingroup$ I don't know if anyone expects metallic hydrogen to be metastable. Lots of people sure would love that to be true, since it's a very energy dense fuel and could be a room-temperature superconductor, but metastability is more just wishful thinking than a predicted property. $\endgroup$
    – Nicolau Saker Neto
    Commented Mar 25, 2017 at 21:10

0

Reset to default

Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.