Fuelish dream achieved
U of C chemists discover new fuel cell material
By KATIE SCHNEIDER, SUN MEDIA
Last Updated: 19th October 2009, 2:02am
Fuel cells could soon be cheaper thanks to a new material developed by University of Calgary chemists.
George Shimizu and Jeff Hurd and their team have discovered a new material allowing for polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cells to work at a higher temperature.
The discovery will increase the efficiency and decrease the cost of the technology, touted as a method to decrease fossil fuel use, said Shimizu.
"For a PEM fuel cell, the big challenge is improving cost efficiency right now so one of the ways of getting cost efficiency up is to raise the temperature of the fuel cell," he said.
"We found a new way of making this material work."
Currently, PEM fuel cells can produce energy from hydrogen below 90C, just under the boiling point of water, but with Shimizu's material, energy can be produced at temperatures up to 150C.
Fuel cells convert hydrogen and oxygen into water and electrical energy, but with the research, less pricey metals can be used for that same conversion.
But more work needs to be done before fuel cells will be ready for the mass market, he said. "What we've got now is not something that is commercial but it is an entirely different approach," he said.
"This is a new approach based on precise molecular level insight into the structure."
The research has grabbed the attention of Kevin Colbow, director of research and development at Ballard Power Systems, a company that designs and manufactures clean energy hydrogen fuel cells.
"We believe that further improvement on conductivity and robustness of these materials could provide next generation membranes for PEM fuel cells," he said.
KATIE.SCHNEIDER@SUNMEDIA.CA
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