Abstract
Energy transition is one of the main global challenges of this century. To realize it and reach the UN´s ecological sustainability goals the topic sustainable energy and different ways of approaching energy transition have to be taught at school. As fuel cells can play a key role in the energy turnaround, they should be an integral part in chemistry education. Here we present a series of hands-on experiments focusing on alkaline, microbial and direct methanol fuel cells to help pupils understand how fuel cells work.
Highlights
In the year 2015 the United Nations General Assembly defined 17 Sustainable Development Goals as a “shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet” to be globally implemented by 2030 [1]
School is one of the best places for Education for Sustainable Development (ESD), because it is the institution attended by almost everybody from the generation that brings out the worlds future researchers, who are faced with the challenge of a global energy transition
The series contains an alkaline fuel cell, a microbial fuel cell and a direct methanol fuel cell and can be integrated into chemistry lessons to show the great diversity of different types of fuel cells (Figure 3)
Summary
In the year 2015 the United Nations General Assembly defined 17 Sustainable Development Goals as a “shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet” to be globally implemented by 2030 [1]. Fuel cells as a part of a sustainable energy solution are often integrated in the chemistry curriculum in the context of electrochemistry. They could be addressed in other subjects at school (Figure 2) and are a great topic for interdisciplinary learning and for discussions on sustainability from different perspectives. As there is an increase in the use of hydrogen-based Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells (PEMFC) in mobile and stationary applications, these fuel cells are part of the chemistry curricula in Germany and discussed in schools all over the world. The series contains an alkaline fuel cell, a microbial fuel cell and a direct methanol fuel cell and can be integrated into chemistry lessons to show the great diversity of different types of fuel cells (Figure 3). The membrane (e.g. Nafion®) works as a separator between the electrodes to prevent an electrical shortcut and contains an (acidic) electrolyte
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