Fuel Cells

Technologies for Getting to Zero by 2060

Question: How fast are technologies to address climate change developing, particularly with regard to fuel cells? Fuel cells have been considered a viable source of energy in a number of applications, particularly those where a moveable source of stored energy is required. These applications include cars, trucks, and trains.

Hydrogen has long been considered a potential source of energy, because it is light weight, is abundant in the earth's atmosphere, is readily combustible with oxygen, produces a great deal of energy when combusted, and produces only the benigh by-product of water on combustion. Fuels cells have been considered a mechanism for utilizing hydrogen as an energy source.

Consequently, the development of fuel cells may be an essential element in getting greenhouse gas emissions to zero by 2060.

To answer the question on how fast technologies were developing, GenerallyEclectic looked at articles in Science Daily on fuel cells for the previous eighteen months, which at the time of writing was December 1, 2018 to May 31, 2020. GenerallyEclectic found [PUT IN FINAL NUMBER]articles. Overall, the future is promising. Titles, summaries and links to the relevant articles are provided, so you can make your own judgments.

The summary here is limited to Science Daily findings, which are in turn determined by Science Daily's methodology, which is outlined at About Science Daily. To the extent that Science Daily undoubtedly missed some technological developments, this summary under-reports developments.

Findings

1. Coordination polymer glass provides solid support for hydrogen fuel cells
   12 May 2020: Scientists are synthesizing stronger and more efficient materials for hydrogen fuel cell membranes. Most fuel cells currently on the market employ liquid membranes. A new coordination polymer glass membrane works just as well as its liquid counterparts with added strength and flexibility. ... fuel cells contain 'proton conducting membranes' that facilitate the separation of hydrogen's positive and negative particles, protons and electrons, a process that ultimately leads to the production of electricity. Protons need to easily move across these membranes for the process to be efficient. Current proton conducting membranes are made from liquids and cannot operate effectively under dry conditions, making their fabrication complicated and expensive. Scientists are looking for ways to fabricate solid membranes made from water-free electrolytes that provide better mechanical and thermal stability than their liquid counterparts, but are also cost-effective and still conduct protons well...(Researchers)... fabricated their coordination polymer glass membrane by mixing a 'protic ionic liquid' with zinc ions. Protic ionic liquids are liquid salts made by mixing an acid and a base. The team used a protic ionic liquid called diethylmethylammonium dihydrogen phosphate. Adding zinc to this liquid led to the formation of a solid, elastic polymer glass. The molecular structure of the coordination polymer glass facilitated the movement of protons across it under dry conditions at 120°C. When tested in a hydrogen fuel cell, it produced high voltage (0.96 volts), well within the range of typical polymer electrolyte membranes. Its power output was also similar to commonly used Nafion membranes....
2. User research at BESSY II: How new materials increase the efficiency of direct ethanol fuel cells...
   3 May 2020: Researchers have investigated a novel composite membrane for ethanol fuel cells. It consists of the polymer Nafion, in which nanoparticles of a titanium compound are embedded by the rarely explored melt extrusion process. At BESSY II they were able to observe in detail, how the nanoparticles in the Nafion matrix are distributed and how they contribute to increase proton conductivity...(Researchers) use melt extrusion process to produce composite membranes based on Nafion with additional titanate nanoparticles, which have been functionalized with sulfonic acid groups...Small-angle X-ray scattering measurements confirmed that the titanium particles were synergistically interacting with the ionomer matrix of Nafion...Using infrared spectroscopy, they observed that chemical bridges were formed between the sulfonic acid groups of the functionalized nanoparticles. In addition, by following the proton motion along the ionic clusters, they found increased proton conductivity in the composite membrane, even at high concentrations of nanoparticles.
3. Harnessing the power of electricity-producing bacteria for ...
   7 Apr 2020: ... Someday, microbial cyborgs -- bacteria combined with electronic devices -- could be useful in fuel cells, biosensors and bioreactors. But first ...
4. Innovative thinner electrolyte can improve functioning of solid oxide ... |
   24 Mar 2020: ... Solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) are clean and highly efficient power generation systems, which can generate electrical energy but are limited by ...
5. New material developed could help clean energy revolution ...
   22 Mar 2020: ... Fuel cells and water electrolyzers that are cheap and efficient will form the cornerstone of a hydrogen fuel based economy, which is one of the ...
6. Iodide salts stabilize biocatalysts for fuel cells: Solvent chemistry ...
   13 Feb 2020: ... Contrary to theoretical predictions, oxygen inactivates biocatalysts for energy conversion within a short time, even under a protective film.
7. 'Reverse fuel cell' converts waste carbon to valuable products at ...
   9 Feb 2020: ... Fuel cells turn chemicals into electricity. Now, an engineering team has adapted technology from fuel cells to do the reverse: harness electricity ...
8. Instant hydrogen production for powering fuel cells: Researchers ...
   27 Jan 2020: ... Researchers investigated real-time, on-demand hydrogen generation for use in fuel cells, which are a quiet and clean form of energy.
9. New study looks to biological enzymes as source of hydrogen fuel ...
   24 Nov 2019: ... ... is regarded as the energy source of the future: It is produced with solar power and can be used to generate heat and electricity in fuel cells.
10. Storing energy in hydrogen 20 times more effective using platinum ...
    13 Nov 2019: ... But platinum is very expensive and relatively scarce; a problem if we want to use electrolyzers and fuel cells on a large scale. TU/e catalysis ...
11. Inside the fuel cell: Imaging method promises industrial insight ...
    14 Oct 2019: ... "Our method is not limited to fuel cells or water. There's a lot of compounds in the chemical industries, including electrochemistry, electrolytes ...
12. Cheaper catalyst can generate hydrogen in a commercial device ...
    13 Oct 2019: ... "It's also a clean, high-energy-content molecule that can be used in fuel cells or to store energy generated by variable power sources like solar ...
13. Gem-like nanoparticles of precious metals shine as catalysts ...
    11 Sep 2019: ... Researchers have developed a new method for making highly desirable catalysts from metal nanoparticles that could lead to better fuel cells, ...
14. Selenium anchors could improve durability of platinum fuel cell ...
    5 Sep 2019:... But the metal's high cost is one factor that has hindered fuel cells from competing with cheaper ways of powering automobiles and homes.
15. Cost-effective fuel cell technology
    19 Aug 2019: ... Fuel cells are pollution-free power sources that convert chemical energy to electricity with high efficiency and zero emissions. Fuel cell cars ...
16. Microorganisms build the best fuel efficient hydrogen cells ...
    18 Aug 2019: ... 14, 2018 — Fuel cells that work with the enzyme hydrogenase are, in principle, just as efficient as those that contain the expensive precious ...
17. Atomically precise models improve understanding of fuel cells ...
    18 Jul 2019: ... Simulations from researchers in Japan provide new insights into the reactions occurring in solid-oxide fuel cells by using realistic atomic-scale ...
18. Activity of fuel cell catalysts doubled: Modelling leads to the optimum ...
    2 Jul 2019: ... An interdisciplinary research team has built platinum nanoparticles for catalysis in fuel cells: The new size-optimized catalysts are twice as ...
19. New core-shell catalyst for ethanol fuel cells: Greatly boosts ...
    6 Jun 2019: ... Scientists have developed a highly efficient catalyst for extracting electrical energy from ethanol, an easy-to-store liquid fuel that can be ...
20. New material could unlock potential for hydrogen powered vehicle ...
    14 May 2019:... ... be used to make molecular sieves within fuel tanks - which store the hydrogen and work alongside fuel cells in a hydrogen powered 'system'.
21. Clean fuel cells could be cheap enough to replace gas engines in ...
    7 May 2019: ... Advancements in zero-emission fuel cells could make the technology cheap enough to replace traditional gasoline engines in vehicles.
22. Record solar hydrogen production with concentrated sunlight ...
    28 Apr 2019: — Hydrogen is often considered a fuel for the future, in the form of fuel cells to power electric motors or burned in internal combustion ...
23. The right polymers for the job: Technology makes fuel cells more ...
    10 Apr 2019:.. Technology makes fuel cells more powerful, more durable, less expensive. Date: April 11, 2019; Source: University of Delaware; Summary: One of the most ...
24. Fuel cell advance a breath of fresh air for
    8 Apr 2019: ... Yet fuel cells perform those chemical reactions without burning. That's why fuel cells can generate energy with significantly more efficiency than ...
25. High-powered fuel cell boosts electric-powered submersibles, drones
    24 Feb 2019: ... Engineers have developed a high-powered fuel cell that operates at double the voltage of today's commercial fuel cells. It could power ...
26. 'Goldilocks' thinking to cut cost of fuel cells in electric vehicles ...
    20 Feb 2019: ... Electric vehicles running on fuel cells tout zero emissions and higher efficiency, but expensive platinum is holding them back from entering a ...
27. New catalysts for better fuel cells
    8 Jan 2019: ... Polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) transform the chemical energy produced during a reaction between hydrogen fuel and ...
28. A lung-inspired design turns water into fuel
    19 Dec 2018: ... ... and carries out two different processes to improve the reactions that drive sustainable technologies such as fuel cells and metal-air batteries.
29. Scientists maximize the effectiveness of platinum in fuel cells ...
    12 Dec 2018: ... Date: December 13, 2018; Source: DOE/Argonne National Laboratory; Summary: Scientists have identified a new catalyst that uses only about a quarter as ...