Scientists at the University of Illinois say they've found a new way to make water from unconventional materials such as alcohol.

"We found that unconventional metal hydrides can be used for a chemical process called oxygen reduction, which is an essential part of the process of making water," lead author Zachariah Heiden, a doctoral student, said in a news release Thursday.

The report, published online in the Journal of the American Chemical Society, focuses on the oxidative reactivity of iridium-based transfer hydrogenation catalysts in a homogeneous, non-aqueous solution. They found the iridium complex effects both the oxidation of alcohols and the reduction of the oxygen.

"Most compounds react with either hydrogen or oxygen, but this catalyst reacts with both," Heiden said.

He said the new catalysts could lead to eventual development of more efficient, lower-cost hydrogen fuel cells.