Catalyst boost for DEFC development
Researchers believe they have solved issues hindering the development of direct-ethanol fuel cells – DEFCs – and that a device for commercialisation could be delivered in five years.
Zhenxing Feng of the Oregon State University (OSU) College of Engineering helped lead the development of a catalyst that solves three key problems associated with DEFCs, namely low efficiency, the cost of catalytic materials and the toxicity of chemical reactions inside the cells.
Feng and collaborators at Oregon State, the University of Central Florida and the University of Pittsburgh found that adding fluorine atoms into palladium-nitrogen-carbon catalysts had positive effects, including keeping the cells stable for nearly 6,000 hours. The team’s findings have been published in Nature Energy.
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“To achieve carbon-neutral and zero-carbon-emissions goals, alternative energy conversion devices using the fuel from renewable and sustainable sources are urgently needed,” said Feng, an associate professor of chemical engineering. "Direct-ethanol fuel cells can potentially replace gasoline- and diesel-based energy conversion systems as power sources.”
Feng and collaborators are now seeking funding to develop DEFC prototypes for portable devices and vehicles.
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