The article Low-temperature fuel cell boosts hydrogen production first appeared in the online magazine BASIC thinking. With our newsletter UPDATE you can start the day well informed every morning.
Researchers have a low-temperature fuel cell that could significantly advance hydrogen production. It is cost-effective and more sustainable than previous approaches.
Researcher of the Kyushu University has achieved a breakthrough in the development of solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs). This could lead to major advances in hydrogen production. The scientists have developed a material that has exceptionally high proton conductivity at an operating temperature of just 300 degrees Celsius.
This is a major advance since SOFCs traditionally have to operate at extremely high temperatures of around 700 to 800 degrees Celsius. The high operating temperatures require special and expensive materials, which has so far limited the widespread use of the technology.
Lowering the operating temperature to 300 degrees Celsius could reduce material costs and pave the way for consumer-level systems. The heart of a SOFC is the electrolyte. This is a ceramic layer that transports charged particles to generate energy. However, with high-performance proton-conducting oxide electrolytes there is the problem of so-called proton trapping.
New fuel cell enables even more sustainable hydrogen production
Protons stabilize in the oxide, which results in unfavorable chemical reactions. Typically, researchers add so-called dopants to increase the number of mobile protons. But this usually clogs the crystal lattice and slows the movement of protons.
This problem, known as a trade-off between ion concentration and conductivity, has so far been difficult to overcome. But the researchers found that the cubic perovskite oxides barium stannate and barium titanate, when heavily doped with scandium, can overcome these limitations.
The compounds achieved a particularly high proton conductivity at 300 degrees Celsius, which corresponds to the technological threshold for fuel cell electrolytes. Simulation models showed that the scandium atoms form a kind of highway with the surrounding oxygen atoms.
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Protons find fast diffusion paths along this highway. This reduces the influence of proton trapping on diffusion, even if protons are strongly bound to the doping atoms. The lattice of the materials examined is also intrinsically softer than that of conventional SOFC materials.
This makes it possible to absorb significantly more scandium than previously assumed. This lattice softness (low bulk modulus) serves as a design criterion to enable high scandium solubility.
The results refute the trade-off between doping level and ion transport that has been assumed for decades. The technology is applicable not only to fuel cells, but also to low-temperature electrolysers, hydrogen pumps and reactors that can convert CO2 into valuable chemicals. This could advance such approaches more quickly and make them more profitable.
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Low-temperature fuel cells have the potential to revolutionize the way we produce hydrogen, which is a clean and sustainable fuel source. By using these fuel cells to efficiently convert electricity into hydrogen gas, we can significantly increase our capacity for hydrogen production without relying on fossil fuels.
This breakthrough is especially exciting as the demand for hydrogen continues to grow in industries such as transportation, energy storage, and manufacturing. Low-temperature fuel cells offer a more cost-effective and environmentally friendly solution for meeting this demand, as they can operate at lower temperatures and pressures compared to traditional methods of hydrogen production.
In addition to increasing hydrogen production, low-temperature fuel cells also have the potential to improve the overall efficiency of hydrogen fuel cells, making them more competitive with other clean energy technologies. By continuing to develop and optimize these fuel cells, we can unlock new opportunities for integrating hydrogen into our energy systems and reducing our reliance on fossil fuels.
Overall, the advancements in low-temperature fuel cells are a promising development for the tech industry and the transition towards a more sustainable energy future. As an expert in the field, I am excited to see how this technology continues to evolve and make a positive impact on our society.
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