Chinese scientists just made hydrogen fuel cells 4x stronger
What's the story
Chinese scientists have made a major breakthrough in hydrogen fuel cell technology, increasing its power output by four times. The innovative design could expand the application of this clean energy source from road vehicles to space missions. The study was published in the peer-reviewed journal Science by researchers from the Beijing Institute of Technology (BIT).
Technology overview
Hydrogen as clean energy source
Hydrogen is considered a potential clean energy source for a low-carbon future.
Fuel cells convert chemical energy from hydrogen into electricity, emitting only water as exhaust.
The new tech focuses on proton-exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs), which are already used in many hydrogen-powered vehicles today.
This advancement could make these vehicles more efficient and give them a longer driving range.
Design benefits
New tech makes vehicles more efficient
Li Jie, an assistant professor at BIT and one of the authors of the study, said that with their new tech, "the power stack of a fuel cell vehicle can be made smaller and lighter."
This means that not only will these vehicles have a stronger continuous output but also a longer driving range.
The PEMFCs work at relatively low temperatures between 60-80 degree Celsius.
Working principle
How PEMFCs work
PEMFCs convert 50-60% of the energy in their hydrogen fuel into electricity.
The process is simple: hydrogen molecules give up electrons and become protons at the anode.
While the protons pass through an electrolyte membrane to the cathode, electrons flow through an external circuit, generating electricity.
At the cathode, protons, electrons, and oxygen combine to form water.