Chemists report the first chemical reaction that can split apart and recombine the two atoms in molecular hydrogen without using an expensive metal catalyst.
Hydrogen gas is a widely used reagent in the petrochemical and pharmaceutical industries. Precious-metal catalysts break the tight bond between the two hydrogen atoms in the gas, freeing them to move to various other molecules.
A few nonmetals can break up hydrogen gas, but only metals can also reassemble two hydrogen atoms into the gas, a reaction relevant to hydrogen-fuel production and storage.