Hydrogen Fuel Cells and Storage Technology: Fundamental Research for Optimization of Hydrogen Storage and Utilization
Design and development of improved low-cost hydrogen fuel cell catalytic materials and high-capacity hydrogenn storage media are paramount to enabling the hydrogen economy. Presently, effective and durable catalysts are mostly precious metals in pure or alloyed form and their high cost inhibits fuel cell applications. Similarly, materials that meet on-board hydrogen storage targets within total mass and volumetric constraints are yet to be found. Both hydrogen storage performance and cost-effective fuel cell designs are intimately linked to the electronic structure, morphology and cost of the chosen materials. The FCAST Project combined theoretical and experimental studies of electronic structure, chemical bonding, and hydrogen adsorption/desorption characteristics of a number of different nanomaterials and metal clusters to develop better fundamental understanding of hydrogen storage in solid state matrices. Additional experimental studies quantified the hydrogen storage properties of synthesized polyaniline(PANI)/Pd composites. Such conducting polymers are especially interesting because of their high intrinsic electron density and the ability to dope the materials with protons, anions, and metal species. Earlier work produced contradictory results: one study reported 7% to 8% hydrogen uptake while a second study reported zero hydrogen uptake. Cost and durability of fuel cell systems are crucial factors in their affordability. Limits on operating temperature, loss of catalytic reactivity and degradation of proton exchange membranes are factors that affect system durability and contribute to operational costs. More cost effective fuel cell components were sought through studies of the physical and chemical nature of catalyst performance, characterization of oxidation and reduction processes on system surfaces. Additional development effort resulted in a new hydrocarbon-based high-performance sulfonated proton exchange membrane (PEM) that can be manufactured at low cost and accompanied by improved mechanical and thermal stability.
- Research Organization:
- UNLV Research Foundation, 8311 W. Sunset Road, Suite 200, Las Vegas, NV 89130
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE Office of Hydrogen, Fuel Cells, and Infrastructure Technologies Program (EE-2H)
- DOE Contract Number:
- FG36-05GO85028
- OSTI ID:
- 1010298
- Report Number(s):
- DOE/GO85028/F; GO85028; TRN: US201116%%744
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
ANIONS
BONDING
CATALYSTS
DESIGN
ELECTRON DENSITY
ELECTRONIC STRUCTURE
FUEL CELLS
HYDROGEN
HYDROGEN FUEL CELLS
HYDROGEN STORAGE
MATRICES
MEMBRANES
MORPHOLOGY
OPTIMIZATION
OXIDATION
POLYMERS
PROTONS
STABILITY
STORAGE
TARGETS
nanomaterial
nanotubes
PEM
PANI
x-ray emission specroscopy
hydrogen storage
Pd(iv)
Pd(ii)
DFT
polymeric
GO85028