ScienceDaily: Fuel Cell News

Tests lead to doubling of fuel cell life

Wed, 22 May 2013 16:03:03 EDT

Researchers working to improve durability in fuel cell powered buses have discovered links between electrode degradation processes and bus membrane durability. The team is quantifying the effects of electrode degradation stressors in the operating cycle of the bus on the membrane lifetime.

Engineers devise new way to produce clean hydrogen

Tue, 21 May 2013 15:39:39 EDT

Engineers have developed a novel method for producing clean hydrogen, which could prove essential to weaning society off of fossil fuels and their environmental implications.

Bacteria use hydrogen, carbon dioxide to produce electricity

Sun, 19 May 2013 19:11:11 EDT

Researchers have engineered a strain of electricity-producing bacteria that can grow using hydrogen gas as its sole electron donor and carbon dioxide as its sole source of carbon.

Add boron for better batteries

Thu, 16 May 2013 16:17:17 EDT

A graphene-boron compound is theoretically capable of storing double the energy of common graphite anodes used in lithium-ion batteries.

Significant improvement in performance of solar-powered hydrogen generation

Wed, 15 May 2013 12:51:51 EDT

Using a powerful combination of microanalytic techniques that simultaneously image photoelectric current and chemical reaction rates across a surface on a micrometer scale, researchers have shed new light on what may become a cost-effective way to generate hydrogen gas directly from water and sunlight.

Oxygen consumption of individual cells measured: Scanning electrochemical microscopy decisively optimized

Mon, 13 May 2013 08:30:30 EDT

How active a living cell is can be seen by its oxygen consumption. The method for determining this consumption has now been significantly improved. The problem up to now was that the measuring electrode altered the oxygen consumption in the cell's environment much more than the cell itself.

New endurance record for small electric unmanned aerial vehicle

Fri, 10 May 2013 12:45:45 EDT

Using liquid hydrogen fuel stored in a new NRL-developed cryogenic fuel storage tank, the flight shatters the previous 26-hour record set by the UAV in 2009.

New technique to improve quality control of lithium-ion batteries

Thu, 09 May 2013 15:45:45 EDT

Researchers have created a new tool to detect flaws in lithium-ion batteries as they are being manufactured, a step toward reducing defects and inconsistencies in the thickness of electrodes that affect battery life and reliability.

Success in observation of swelling of single-particle of silicon electrode for lithium ion batteries during charging reaction

Sun, 28 Apr 2013 14:49:49 EDT

Scientists have measured the volumetric expansion of single particles of silicon accompanying the charging reaction. This finding demonstrated the importance of electrode design from the viewpoint of volumetric energy density.

Recipe for low-cost, biomass-derived catalyst for hydrogen production

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 10:31:31 EDT

Researchers have described details of a low-cost, stable, effective catalyst that could replace costly platinum in the production of hydrogen. The catalyst, made from renewable soybeans and abundant molybdenum metal, produces hydrogen in an environmentally friendly, cost-effective manner, potentially increasing the use of this clean energy source.

Battery low? Give your mobile some water

Thu, 18 Apr 2013 09:48:48 EDT

A power source for your mobile phone can now be as close as the nearest tap, stream, or even a puddle, with the world’s first water-activated charging device.

Small in size, big on power: New microbatteries the most powerful yet

Tue, 16 Apr 2013 15:19:19 EDT

The most powerful batteries on the planet are only a few millimeters in size, yet they pack such a punch that a driver could use a cellphone powered by these batteries to jump-start a dead car battery -- and then recharge the phone in the blink of an eye. The new microbatteries out-power even the best supercapacitors and could drive new applications in radio communications and compact electronics.

Survey shows dramatic improvement in B100 biodiesel quality

Tue, 16 Apr 2013 13:28:28 EDT

The latest national survey of 100 percent biodiesel "blend stock" samples found that 95% of the samples from 2011-12 met ASTM International fuel quality specifications. The ASTM standards serve as guidelines for industry and are designed to ensure quality at the pump for consumers -- along with reliable operation of the nation's vehicles powered by biodiesel blends.

Surprising findings on hydrogen production in green algae

Mon, 15 Apr 2013 18:24:24 EDT

New research fuels hope of efficient hydrogen production with green algae may be possible in the future, despite the prevailing scepticism based on previous research.

The future of our energy

Mon, 15 Apr 2013 09:48:48 EDT

When it comes to sustainable energy supplies hydroelectric plants are usually the best solution, according to researchers who have reviewed the economic, social and environmental impact of fuel provision.

Solar booster shot for natural gas power plants

Thu, 11 Apr 2013 15:23:23 EDT

A new system reduces carbon emissions and fuel usage at natural gas power plants by 20 percent by injecting solar energy into natural gas.

Cost-saving measure to upgrade ethanol to butanol -- a better alternative to gasoline

Thu, 11 Apr 2013 12:35:35 EDT

Scientists have reported a discovery that could speed an emerging effort to replace ethanol in gasoline with a substantially better fuel additive called butanol, which some experts regard as “the gasoline of the future.” Their report on this discovery, holds potential to reduce the costs of converting ethanol factories to production of butanol.

Overcoming a major barrier to medical and other uses of 'microrockets' and 'micromotors'

Wed, 10 Apr 2013 10:39:39 EDT

An advance in micromotor technology akin to the invention of cars that fuel themselves from the pavement or air is opening the door to new medical and industrial uses for these tiny devices, scientists say. Their update on development of the motors -- so small that thousands would fit inside this "o" -- was part of a recent conference presentation.

'Artificial leaf' gains the ability to self-heal damage and produce energy from dirty water

Mon, 08 Apr 2013 18:58:58 EDT

Another innovative feature has been added to the world's first practical "artificial leaf," making the device even more suitable for providing people in developing countries and remote areas with electricity. It gives the leaf the ability to self-heal damage.

Tortuous paths hamper ion transport

Mon, 08 Apr 2013 12:32:32 EDT

Researchers have used X-ray tomography to screen lithium ion battery electrodes and can reconstruct the microstructure in high resolution. This helps to understand the discharging and charging process better and develop optimized electrodes.

Tin nanocrystals for the battery of the future

Mon, 08 Apr 2013 12:32:32 EDT

More powerful batteries could help electric cars achieve a considerably larger range and thus a breakthrough on the market. A new nanomaterial for lithium ion batteries could come into play here.

Ionic thrusters generate efficient propulsion in air

Wed, 03 Apr 2013 12:20:20 EDT

Thrusters powered by ionic wind may be an efficient alternative to conventional atmospheric propulsion technologies. When a current passes between two electrodes -- one thinner than the other -- it creates a wind in the air between. If enough voltage is applied, the resulting wind can produce a thrust without the help of motors or fuel. Researchers have now found that ionic thrusters may be a far more efficient source of propulsion than conventional jet engines.

Breakthrough in hydrogen fuel production could revolutionize alternative energy market

Wed, 03 Apr 2013 10:41:41 EDT

Researchers have discovered a way to extract large quantities of hydrogen from any plant, a breakthrough that has the potential to bring a low-cost, environmentally friendly fuel source to the world.

A longer life for lithium-sulfur batteries

Tue, 02 Apr 2013 09:12:12 EDT

Electric cars have still got it tough in the German marketplace. They are too expensive and their range is too short. This is an opportune time for a breakthrough in efficient and low-cost lithium-sulfur batteries.

Discovery opens door to efficiently storing and reusing renewable energy

Thu, 28 Mar 2013 14:23:23 EDT

Researchers have developed a ground-breaking way to make new affordable and efficient catalysts for converting electricity into chemical energy. Their technology opens the door to homeowners and energy companies being able to easily store and reuse solar and wind power. Such energy is clean and renewable, but it's available only when the sun is shining or the wind is blowing.

Opposites attract: How cells and cell fragments move in electric fields

Thu, 28 Mar 2013 12:51:51 EDT

Like tiny crawling compass needles, whole living cells and cell fragments orient and move in response to electric fields -- but in opposite directions, scientists have found. Their results could ultimately lead to new ways to heal wounds and deliver stem cell therapies.

Clean electricity from bacteria? Researchers make breakthrough in race to create 'bio-batteries'

Mon, 25 Mar 2013 18:39:39 EDT

Scientists have made an important breakthrough in the quest to generate clean electricity from bacteria. New findings show that proteins on the surface of bacteria can produce an electric current by simply touching a mineral surface. The research shows that it is possible for bacteria to lie directly on the surface of a metal or mineral and transfer electrical charge through their cell membranes. This means that it is possible to ‘tether’ bacteria directly to electrodes – bringing scientists a step closer to creating efficient microbial fuel cells or ‘bio-batteries.’

Super batteries? Hybrid ribbons a gift for powerful batteries

Mon, 25 Mar 2013 12:56:56 EDT

Ribbons of vanadium oxide and graphene become ultrafast charging and discharging electrodes for lithium-ion batteries in new research. The ribbons are thousands of times thinner than a sheet of paper, yet have potential that far outweighs current materials for their ability to charge and discharge very quickly.

Ash from refuse could become hydrogen gas

Mon, 25 Mar 2013 09:35:35 EDT

Every year, millions of tons of environmentally harmful ash is produced worldwide, and is mostly dumped in landfill sites or, in some countries, used as construction material. The ash is what is left when rubbish has been burnt in thermal power stations. A researcher has now developed a technique to use the ash to produce hydrogen gas.

Multi-purpose wonder can generate hydrogen, produce clean water and even provide energy

Wed, 20 Mar 2013 09:48:48 EDT

A new wonder material can generate hydrogen, produce clean water and even provide energy. Science fiction? Hardly, and there's more -- It can also desalinate water, be used as flexible water filtration membranes, help recover energy from desalination waste brine, be made into flexible solar cells and can also double the lifespan of lithium ion batteries. With its superior bacteria-killing capabilities, it can also be used to develop a new type of antibacterial bandage.

Transportation study reveals potential for deep cuts to petroleum use and carbon emissions

Tue, 19 Mar 2013 15:56:56 EDT

Scientists have completed an assessment of avenues to reach deep cuts in petroleum use and greenhouse gas emissions in the transportation sector.

Petroleum use, greenhouse gas emissions of automobiles could drop 80 percent by 2050: U.S. report

Mon, 18 Mar 2013 15:16:16 EDT

A new report finds that by the year 2050, the United States may be able to reduce petroleum consumption and greenhouse gas emissions by 80 percent for light-duty vehicles -- cars and small trucks -- via a combination of more efficient vehicles; the use of alternative fuels like biofuels, electricity, and hydrogen; and strong government policies to overcome high costs and influence consumer choices.

Breakthrough in electricity storage: New large and powerful redox flow battery

Mon, 18 Mar 2013 10:50:50 EDT

More and more electricity is being generated from intermittent sources of power, such as solar and wind energy. Powerful electric energy storage devices are necessary to level out corresponding irregularities in the power supply. Scientists have recently made an important breakthrough with the development of a redox flow battery that reaches stack power up to 25 kW, with a cell size of 0.5 square meters. This is eight times larger than the previous A4-sized systems.

Model allows engineers to test fuel systems on computers

Mon, 18 Mar 2013 10:47:47 EDT

Engineers will be able to design better fuel systems for everything from motorcycles to rockets faster and more inexpensively because of a new mathematical fuels model.

Catalysts that produce 'green' fuel

Tue, 12 Mar 2013 10:22:22 EDT

The energy produced by solar panels, be it heat or electricity, has to be used right away. It is hard to store and preserve and also its transportation can be rather complicated. Creating solar cells capable of producing energy in an easily storable and transportable way, that is to say fuel, is therefore the future challenge of solar energy. Scientists are now working on a catalyst that imitates and improves what nature has been able to do for millions of years.

Researchers map out an alternative energy future for New York

Tue, 12 Mar 2013 09:26:26 EDT

A new study outlines a path to statewide renewable energy conversion, and away from natural gas and imported fuel.

Duckweed as a cost-competitive raw material for biofuel production

Thu, 07 Mar 2013 11:05:05 EST

The search for a less-expensive, sustainable source of biomass, or plant material, for producing gasoline, diesel and jet fuel has led scientists to duckweed, that fast-growing floating plant that turns ponds and lakes green.

Biobatteries catch breath

Thu, 07 Mar 2013 09:23:23 EST

An air-breathing bio-battery has been constructed by researchers from Poland. The core element providing the new power source with relatively high voltage and long lifetime is a carefully designed cathode taking up oxygen from air and composed of an enzyme, carbon nanotubes and silicate.

Analytical theory may bring improvements to lithium-ion batteries

Tue, 05 Mar 2013 13:14:14 EST

Researchers have shown theoretically how to control or eliminate the formation of "dendrites" that cause lithium-ion batteries to fail, an advance that if realized would improve safety and might enable the batteries to be charged within a matter of minutes instead of hours.

Artificial leaf: Solar-to-fuel roadmap developed for crystalline silicon

Mon, 04 Mar 2013 21:15:15 EST

A new analysis points the way to optimizing efficiency of an integrated system for harvesting sunlight to make storable fuel.

Unlocking fuel cell conductivity

Wed, 27 Feb 2013 13:44:44 EST

Work on a high-conductivity material demonstrates the role of oxygen ions in enhancing their capabilities.

Unlocking fuel cell conductivity

Wed, 27 Feb 2013 11:30:30 EST

Work on a high-conductivity material demonstrates the role of oxygen ions in enhancing their capabilities.

Sunlight yields more efficient carbon dioxide to methanol model

Wed, 20 Feb 2013 15:37:37 EST

In a method that is more efficient and inexpensive than current models, researchers are using carbon dioxide, copper oxide nanowires and simulated sunlight to create methanol.

Exploring supercapacitors to improve their structure

Mon, 18 Feb 2013 13:24:24 EST

No matter how intimidating their name, supercapacitors are part of our daily lives. Take buses for example: supercapacitors are charged during braking and supply electricity to open the doors when the vehicle stops! Yet the molecular organization and functioning of these electricity storage devices had never previously been observed. For the first time, researchers have explored the molecular rearrangements at play in commercially available supercapacitors while in operation.

Affordable fuel cells closer: Synthetic molecule first electricity-making catalyst to use iron to split hydrogen gas

Sun, 17 Feb 2013 13:42:42 EST

To make fuel cells more economical, engineers want a fast and efficient iron-based molecule that splits hydrogen gas to make electricity. Researchers now report such a catalyst. It is the first iron-based catalyst that converts hydrogen directly to electricity. The result moves chemists and engineers one step closer to widely affordable fuel cells.

New findings on the structure of graphite oxides in alcohols

Tue, 05 Feb 2013 12:35:35 EST

The structure of graphite oxide surprisingly expands when cooled in methanol or ethanol. Also, graphite oxide selectively absorbs methanol from water-methanol mixtures. Two new studies by physicists in Sweden provide knowledge on new properties of oxidized graphite and graphene.

Hydro beats nuclear and coal, beats oil and gas, review finds

Mon, 04 Feb 2013 09:46:46 EST

Researchers in Italy and the UK have reviewed the economic, social and environmental impact of hydro, coal, oil, gas and nuclear power. Each has its advantages and disadvantages, but of these conventional electricity generation technologies, hydroelectric power appears to be the most sustainable and acceptable environmentally and economically. Nuclear and coal run a close second place but oil or gas-fired power stations are revealed to be the worst choice when considering the various factors overall.

Research paves way for larger, safer lithium ion batteries

Wed, 23 Jan 2013 19:51:51 EST

Looking toward improved batteries for charging electric cars and storing energy from renewable but intermittent solar and wind, scientists have developed the first high-performance, nanostructured solid electrolyte for more energy-dense lithium ion batteries.

Just add water: How scientists are using silicon to produce hydrogen on demand

Tue, 22 Jan 2013 14:32:32 EST

Super-small particles of silicon react with water to produce hydrogen almost instantaneously, without the need for light, heat or electricity, according to new research.

Method for more sensitive electrochemical sensors

Thu, 17 Jan 2013 13:32:32 EST

Scientists have recently developed a new method for amplifying signals in graphene-based electrochemical sensors, a step that could make the sensors more sensitive at lower detection ranges.

Photovoltaics beat biofuels at converting sun's energy to miles driven

Thu, 17 Jan 2013 10:59:59 EST

In 2005, President George W. Bush and American corn farmers saw corn ethanol as a promising fossil fuel substitute that would reduce both American dependence on foreign oil and greenhouse gas emissions. Accordingly, the 2005 energy bill mandated that 4 billion gallons of renewable fuel be added to the gasoline supply in 2006. That rose to 4.7 billion gallons in 2007 and 7.5 billion in 2012. Now a new study shows solar power is not only better in terms of energy efficiency, land use, and greenhouse gas emissions -- but it is cost competitive, too.

Marginal lands are prime fuel source for alternative energy

Wed, 16 Jan 2013 16:37:37 EST

Marginal lands -- those unsuited for food crops -- can serve as prime real estate for meeting the U.S. alternative energy production goals. Marginal lands represent a huge untapped resource to grow mixed species cellulosic biomass, plants grown specifically for fuel production, which could annually produce up to 5.5 billion gallons of ethanol in the Midwest alone.

High plutonium breeding of light water cooled reactors

Wed, 16 Jan 2013 08:48:48 EST

Scientists have developed the world's first conceptual nuclear reactor design of high plutonium breeding by light water cooling.

New clean nuclear fusion reactor designed

Mon, 14 Jan 2013 09:25:25 EST

Researchers have patented a nuclear fusion reactor by inertial confinement that, apart from be used to generate electric power in plants, can be applied to propel ships. This invention helps solve the problem of contamination risk associated with the generation of nuclear fission power.

Engineering alternative fuel with cyanobacteria

Wed, 09 Jan 2013 16:09:09 EST

Biologists have engineered two strains of cyanobacteria to produce free fatty acids, a precursor to liquid fuels. Micro-algal fuels might be one way to reduce the nation’s dependence on foreign energy. Such fuels would be renewable since they are powered by sunlight. They also could reduce carbon dioxide emissions since they use photosynthesis, and they could create jobs in a new industry.

Engineers seek ways to convert methane into useful chemicals

Thu, 20 Dec 2012 15:35:35 EST

With natural gas production rising, engineers and scientists are seeking ways to convert methane into useful chemicals. A new study suggests a pathway.

'Easy does it' gets you further in electric vehicles

Thu, 20 Dec 2012 10:18:18 EST

Drivers of gas and diesel cars are usually aware that driving at high speed, harsh acceleration and hard braking all contribute to lowering their fuel economy. Scientists can readily explain in terms of the thermodynamics of the internal combustion engine why driving such a car more smoothly and at gentler speeds will increase significantly the distance that might be traveled on a single tank of fuel. But, what about electric vehicles (EVs)?

pH measurements: How to see the real face of electrochemistry and corrosion?

Tue, 18 Dec 2012 08:18:18 EST

For several decades antimony electrodes have been used to measure the acidity/basicity -- and so to determine the pH value. Unfortunately, they allow for measuring pH changes of solutions only at a certain distance from electrodes or corroding metals. Researchers have now developed a method for producing antimony microelectrodes that allow for measuring pH changes just over the metal surface, at which chemical reactions take place.

Synthetic biology research: Could fuel for cars or household power supplies be created from naturally-occurring fatty acids?

Mon, 17 Dec 2012 15:26:26 EST

Scientists have identified a biocatalyst which could produce chemicals found in ice-cream and household items such as soap and shampoo – possibly leading to the long-term replacement of chemicals derived from fossil fuels. This development could mean fuel for cars or household power supplies could be created from naturally-occurring fatty acids.

Nanofibers clean sulfur from fuel

Mon, 17 Dec 2012 14:07:07 EST

Sulfur compounds in petroleum fuels have met their nano-structured match. Researchers developed mats of metal oxide nanofibers that scrub sulfur from petroleum-based fuels much more effectively than traditional materials. Sulfur has to be removed because it emits toxic gasses and corrodes catalysts. Such efficiency could lower costs and improve performance for fuel-based catalysis, advanced energy applications and toxic gas removal.