With atmospheric carbon dioxide at record highs, the search for clean-energy alternatives to the use of fossil fuels is growing increasingly urgent.
Analytical Chemistry
Apr 15, 2024
0
30
Platinum (Pt) electrodes are crucial for clean power technologies like hydrogen fuel cells and electrolysis. However, the surface oxidation that occurs during such processes degrades catalyst performance and stability.
Analytical Chemistry
Apr 2, 2024
0
101
Plants harness chlorophyll to capture sunlight and kickstart photosynthesis, a crucial process on our planet that converts luminous energy into chemical fuel while producing oxygen. This pivotal chemical energy is subsequently ...
Materials Science
Apr 2, 2024
1
7
Tohoku University researchers have created a reliable means of predicting the performance of a new and promising type of catalyst. Their breakthrough will speed up the development of efficient catalysts for both alkaline ...
Analytical Chemistry
Mar 28, 2024
0
1
Solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC) are widely used for energy storage, transportation, and various applications, employing solid electrolytes such as ceramics. The efficiency of these cells relies on the performance and stability ...
Nanomaterials
Mar 27, 2024
0
75
Carbon materials, due to their appropriate physicochemical characteristics such as high surface area, adjustable pore structure, variable morphology, and multifunctional surface properties based on chemical modifications, ...
Analytical Chemistry
Mar 19, 2024
0
52
With global goals set on transitioning away from fossil fuels, fuel cells stand out as a promising carbon-free energy source. Comprising an anode and a cathode separated by an electrolyte, fuel cells convert the chemical ...
Analytical Chemistry
Mar 14, 2024
0
17
Researchers from the University of Tsukuba have developed an innovative methodology for measuring the electrical conductivity of microbial communities. This methodology holds promise for the development of batteries and electrochemical ...
Cell & Microbiology
Feb 29, 2024
0
2
To make fuel cells more affordable, researchers have spent decades searching for low-cost catalysts to replace platinum and other expensive metals.
Analytical Chemistry
Dec 5, 2023
0
32
Researchers from the National Graphene Institute at the University of Manchester have discovered a way to use light to accelerate proton transport through graphene, which could revolutionize the way we generate hydrogen.
Condensed Matter
Nov 6, 2023
0
68
A fuel cell is an electrochemical conversion device. It produces electricity from fuel (on the anode side) and an oxidant (on the cathode side), which react in the presence of an electrolyte. The reactants flow into the cell, and the reaction products flow out of it, while the electrolyte remains within it. Fuel cells can operate virtually continuously as long as the necessary flows are maintained.
Fuel cells are different from electrochemical cell batteries in that they consume reactant from an external source, which must be replenished – a thermodynamically open system. By contrast, batteries store electrical energy chemically and hence represent a thermodynamically closed system.
Many combinations of fuels and oxidants are possible. A hydrogen fuel cell uses hydrogen as its fuel and oxygen (usually from air) as its oxidant. Other fuels include hydrocarbons and alcohols. Other oxidants include chlorine and chlorine dioxide.
The principle of the fuel cell had been demonstrated by Sir William Grove in 1839, and other investigators had experimented with various forms of fuel cell. The first practical fuel cell was developed by Francis Thomas Bacon in 1959.
This text uses material from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA
