Fuel Cell Advances

[David B. Benson]

'Needle in haystack' discovery in quest to unlock clean energy technology
2020 Mar 03
Phys.org
m.phys.org/news/2020-03-needle-haystack-discovery-quest-energy.html

Fuel cells have to run hot, which is hard on materials. This new chemical enables the fuel cell to operate at 'only' 600 °C.

[engineerpoet]

Mar 4, 2020 14:40:20 GMT 9.5 David B. Benson said:

Fuel cells have to run hot, which is hard on materials.

To be specific, solid-oxide fuel cells have to run hot enough to mobilize oxygen ions in the ceramic electrolyte.  This is the principle that automotive oxygen sensors have long used.  Other hydrogen-ion conductors like Nafion can operate fairly close to room temperature.

How a dual oxygen/hydrogen ion conductor avoids the two ions neutralizing each other on their way through the material I don't know.

[David B. Benson]

Researchers advance fuel cell technology
Tina Helding
2020 Jun 08
Phys.org
techxplore.com/news/2020-06-advance-fuel-cell-technology.html

Uses gasoline rather be hydrogen and yet avoids carbon fouling. Might do for transportation power.

[David B. Benson]

Engineers develop new fuel cells with twice the voltage of hydrogen
Vijay Ramani et al.
2020 Jun 18
Phys.org
techxplore.com/news/2020-06-fuel-cells-voltage-hydrogen.html

Borohydride

[David B. Benson]

Reducing the operating temperature of ceramic fuel cells with a high proton conductivity electrolyte
Bob Yirka
2020 Jul 10
Phys.org
phys.org/news/2020-07-temperature-ceramic-fuel-cells-high.html

Goal is to lower costs.

[David B. Benson]

Scientists solve a durability issue in fuel cells for hydrogen cars
2020 Jul 14
Phys.org
phys.org/news/2020-07-scientists-durability-issue-fuel-cells.html

Well, no. It helps with the turnoff degradation issue.

[David B. Benson]

Scientists develop new material for longer-lasting fuel cells
2020 Jul 23
Phys.org
phys.org/news/2020-07-scientists-material-longer-lasting-fuel-cells.html

Nanoparticle platinum on graphene.

[David B. Benson]

Innovative Byproduct --- Hydrogen Fuel Cell Power Plant Completed
Aaron Larson
2020 Aug 13
Power Magazine
www.powermag.com/innovative-byproduct-hydrogen-fuel-cell-power-plant-completed/

114 fuel cells tightly integrated.

[David B. Benson]

Fuel cells for vehicles are becoming longer lasting
2020 Aug 24
Phys.org
phys.org/news/2020-08-fuel-cells-hydrogen-vehicles-longer.html

Title is misleading. The advance is in using much less platinum.

[David B. Benson]

Atomic-level insights help reduce degradation in fuel cells and help extend their lifetime
Savannah Mitchem
2020 Sep 10
Phys.org
phys.org/news/2020-09-atomic-level-insights-degradation-fuel-cells.html

Gold to stabilize platinum.

[David B. Benson]

New US Fuel Cell Alliance Blows Dark Green Hydrogen Over Natural Gas
Tina Casey
2020 Oct 19
CleanTechnica
cleantechnica.com/2020/10/19/new-us-fuel-cell-alliance-blows-dark-green-hydrogen-cloud-over-natural-gas/

US companies trying to commercialize fuel cells.