Hydride ion-conducting solid electrolyte works at room temperature
Researchers have developed a solid electrolyte for transporting hydride ions at room temperature, an advance claimed to put the advantages of hydrogen-based solid-state batteries and fuel cells within practical reach.
Led by Genki Kobayashi at the RIKEN Cluster for Pioneering Research in Japan, the breakthrough is expected to advance efforts towards a hydrogen economy with the added benefits of improved safety, efficiency, and energy density. The study has been published in Advanced Energy Materials.
Hydrogen-based fuel cells used in electric cars work by allowing hydrogen protons to pass from one end of the fuel cell to the other through a polymer membrane. Efficient, high-speed hydrogen movement in these fuel cells requires water, so the membrane must be continually hydrated. According to Riken, this constraint adds an additional layer of complexity and cost to battery and fuel cell design that limits the practicality of a next-generation hydrogen-based energy economy.
“We have achieved a true milestone,” Kobayashi said in a statement. “Our result is the first demonstration of a hydride ion-conducting solid electrolyte at room temperature.”
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