Archive · 7 Sep 2026
UCL Scientist Develops Light-Driven Atomic Hydrogen Method at Room Temperature
Roopender Kumar and colleagues at University College London developed a light-driven method to generate atomic hydrogen at room temperature.
The process uses hydrazine, thiophenol and near-ultraviolet light from a standard laboratory lamp or LED.
Unlike earlier approaches, the method does not require extreme heat, mercury vapour or specialised equipment.
The researchers demonstrated metal-free hydrogenation of organic molecules, potentially reducing metal contamination in pharmaceutical manufacturing.
An outside chemist called the work notable but cautioned that reliance on ultraviolet light could limit practical applications.
- Who
- Roopender Kumar and colleagues at University College London developed the method; Swadhin Mondol commented independently on the research.
- What
- A light-driven chemical process generates atomic hydrogen at room temperature and demonstrates metal-free hydrogenation.
- When
- The research was reported after publication in the peer-reviewed Journal of the American Chemical Society; the article does not provide a publication date.
- Where
- University College London; the method operates in liquid form under laboratory conditions.
- Why
- To make atomic hydrogen more accessible for chemical synthesis and potentially support applications such as metal-free pharmaceutical manufacturing.
Potential benefits
Remaining limitations
Practicality of atomic hydrogen generation
Potential benefits
The UCL team says a flask and a lamp can generate synthetically useful atomic hydrogen using inexpensive reagents, without mercury or extreme conditions.
Remaining limitations
Swadhin Mondol said the work is notable but cautioned that practical applications may take time, partly because the method relies on ultraviolet light.
Industrial applications
Potential benefits
The method could potentially help pharmaceutical manufacturing avoid expensive removal of residual metal catalysts and might offer milder approaches for semiconductor cleaning or water treatment if scaled up.
Remaining limitations
The article says these applications remain potential outcomes; the researchers have not yet established that the method can be scaled for them.
- Lead researcher
- Roopender Kumar, assistant professor of chemistry at University College London
- Reagents
- Hydrazine and thiophenol
- Light source
- Near-ultraviolet light from a standard laboratory lamp or light-emitting diode
- Operating conditions
- Liquid form at room temperature
- Demonstrated use
- Metal-free hydrogenation of organic molecules
- Publication
- Journal of the American Chemical Society
- Key limitation
- The method still relies on ultraviolet light, which may limit applicability