Harvard University scientists recently reported in solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) the progress achieved in the field are two: one is the battery is no longer used platinum material; the other is the battery’s operating temperature down to 300 degrees Celsius to 500 degrees Celsius. The researchers said that based on the operation of SOFCs at lower temperatures, more abundant and more expensive fuel source material progress, SOFCs may soon become a mainstream technology, the future will give laptop computer or mobile phone power supply.
Harvard University Institute of Engineering and Applied Science (SEAS) of the Larsen SOFCs experts and innovators, and his research team published in this month’s “Power Journal” (Journal of Power Sources) introduced their latest results.
SOFCs are third-generation fuel cell, this all solid-state chemical power generation device can be directly in high temperature conditions will be stored in the fuel and oxidizer in the chemical energy efficient and environmentally friendly manner into electricity. However, reliability, temperature, and the cost has been the use of SOFCs to the laptop computer, cell phone charging or drive the next generation of cars and trucks, are experiencing a “stumbling block.”
In SOFCs, the oxygen ions from the cathode through the electrolyte Chaoyang very backdrop to the anodic current and back to the cathode. The principle seems simple, but so far, SOFCs have been more suitable for laboratory and not the office or car.
Raman Larsen team in the first paper to introduce a stable operation, functional full-ceramic thin-film battery such as dell 2834T battery, dell 4834T battery, dell Inspiron 1520 battery, dell Inspiron 1521 battery, Dell Inspiron 1720 battery, dell Inspiron 1525 battery, dell Inspiron 1526 battery, Dell HP297 battery, dell GW240 battery, dell RN873 battery, dell XR693 battery, dell 0XR693 battery, dell 312-0625 battery, the most important is that this cell does not require platinum material. Platinum is commonly used in micro-SOFCs electrode material, but platinum is very expensive and unstable. Raman Larsen said that if the use of porous metal electrodes, essence, they may not remain stable for a long time, will gather in lumps and in the manufacture of fuel cell open circuit. Thus, in its development of new film SOFCs, the researchers used a special ceramic membrane close parcel layer (the thickness of each layer is only a few nanometers), only do not need platinum or a porous metal electrode, the electrolyte will also use reduced to the previous or even thousandths of one percent, so that the new battery lower cost and higher reliability.
In the second paper, the team demonstrated a methane to power the micro-SOFCs, the operating temperature is 500 degrees Celsius, than in the past have made great progress.
Traditional SOFCs operating temperature is generally 800 degrees Celsius to 1000 degrees Celsius, with a smart phone they can not charge. In recent years, materials scientists have been trying to reduce the operating temperature to 300 degrees Celsius to 500 degrees Celsius. Moreover, when the fuel cell operating at lower temperatures, the material is no longer so critical, it allows a less expensive ceramic and metal combination.
Raman Larsen said that in this field, the temperature is the “Holy Grail.” If we can allow efficient SOFCs at 300 degrees Celsius to 500 degrees Celsius to run, people can transport or use them on portable electronic products, and can use different fuel sources.
The research team developed a new SOFCs using abundant and cheap natural gas methane. So far, SOFCs is the main fuel used in hydrogen, Raman said Larsen, manufacture pure hydrogen is very expensive, which limits the scope of application of SOFCs. Replace the hydrogen with methane as the main fuel source SOFCs, in temperature, reliability and price of progress made to strengthen each other.
Raman Larsen added, they will conduct further studies to explore a new catalyst for methane SOFCs, and ultimately find a cheap abundant, help to further reduce the operating temperature of the material.
Assistant Professor of Electronic Engineering at Harvard University research team led by Robert Wood, is currently developing a small flying robot RoboBees project aims to use new technology developed a low-power, high storage capacity, highly intelligent, sustainable flight bionic flying robot. Raman Larsen and Wood hope that the new micro-SOFCs can provide power for the robot, let off the ground.
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