Hydrogen is a critical element of the clean energy puzzle, which specialists working on the energy transition are keen to solve in order to decrease carbon emissions. When hydrogen is utilised as a fuel, it generates just energy, heat, and water, regardless of whether it is used in household appliances or large-scale power plants.
However, hydrogen fuel cell devices have severe limitations. These include concerns with stability, low energy densities, and inefficient discharge, as well as issues with deterioration, cost, and hydrogen storage capacity in fuel cell systems.2
To address these issues, a team of researchers from the University of novel South Wales (UNSW) in Sydney set out to create a novel method for analysing and improving the stability of hydrogen fuel cells.
The goal is to develop more lasting fuel cells capable of addressing stability and degradation issues, thereby lowering long-term costs and spurring advances in more efficient fuel cell production.
The Path to Renewable Energy
Hydrogen fuel cells generate power and heat by utilising the chemical energy of hydrogen, with water being the sole byproduct. This is performed by injecting hydrogen fuel into the cell’s anode, where it is broken down into protons and electrons by a catalyst.
Unlike batteries, fuel cells do not need to be recharged and will continue to run as long as a steady supply of fuel is available. This property gives hydrogen fuel cells a longer operational lifespan. Furthermore, they have a lighter and more compact design that has the ability to produce higher power outputs when integrated into automobile systems.
However, hydrogen fuel cells continue to be very expensive due to the usage of platinum, a valuable rare earth metal, as the catalyst.This has, in turn, led to a slower uptake of this type of fuel cell, meaning commercial success is still some way off.
Platinum is always going to be expensive, because there isn’t a lot out there… So, we need to explore alternatives, whilst also providing a quick and easy way to measure how well these new materials are working in hydrogen fuel cells.
Professor Chuan Zhao, UNSW
The team’s ambition to build a path towards a more sustainable energy landscape is shown in their pursuit of creative catalytic solutions and continual development.
A Change Catalyst
The UNSW team, coordinated by Professor Chuan Zhao, Dr. Quentin Meyer, and Mr. Shiyang Liu from the School of Chemistry, is attempting to advance hydrogen fuel cell technology by developing alternative platinum-free catalysts. The team believes that by doing so, they can considerably improve the commercial practicality of hydrogen fuel cells.
The problem, however, is not only finding a replacement material; it is about ensuring that any new materials can match or exceed the present materials in terms of usefulness and stability.
The UNSW researchers focused on determining when iron demetallation and carbon corrosion occur. These variables contribute to platinum-free catalysts’ higher sensitivity to deterioration in hydrogen fuel cells.
Using three novel methods that we tested in the lab, we can quickly figure out how stable our platinum-free fuel cell is and most importantly understand why. This approach can be easily adopted by scientists in other labs to gain quick and accurate insights into the efficiency of their fuel cells and catalysts.
Professor Chuan Zhao, UNSW
In essence, the varied endeavour of the UNSW team, ranging from catalyst exploration to creative assessment approaches, serves as a catalyst for advancement in the field of sustainable energy.
A Path to Greater Stability
The researchers demonstrated that this technique allowed them to precisely identify regions prone to activity loss in platinum-free catalysts, which contributes to rapid degradation during operation. The team believes that by identifying and resolving this issue, they will be able to immediately adopt measures aimed at reducing negative repercussions within the fuel cell system.
By allowing precise tracking of the degradation mechanisms, we expect that the research field will be able to make new materials targeting these stability issues. As a result, we believe our approach will help improve the stability of platinum-free catalysts and give this field a brighter future.
Dr. Myer, USNW
Others attempting to find platinum-free catalysts for use in fuel cells will be better positioned to identify and create alternative materials if the USNW team improves analysis tools to solve hydrogen fuel cell stability difficulties.
As a result, this encouraging development could pave the way for hydrogen fuel cells to take centre stage on a commercial scale, with applications ranging from power plants to transportation solutions.
This accomplishment has the potential to move us closer to a cleaner and more sustainable energy landscape, in addition to bolstering the hydrogen energy economy. Furthermore, given the continued push to minimise global carbon emissions, our research answers in part to the urgency of adopting hydrogen as a global energy option.
