Fuel Cell Industry Research Articles

Design of PtSn Nanocatalysts for Fuel Cell Applications.

The challenges in the fuel cell industry lie in the cost, performance, and durability of the electrode components, especially the platinum-based catalysts. Alloying has been identified as an effective strategy to reduce the cost of the catalyst and increase its efficiency and durability. So far, most studies focused on the design of PtM bimetallic nanocatalyst, where M is a transition metal. The resulting PtM materials show higher catalytic activity, but their stability remained challenging. In addition, most of the transition metals M are expensive or low abundant. Tin (Sn) has gained attention as alloying element due to its versatility in manufacturing both anode and cathode electrodes. If used as anode catalyst, it is able to overcome poisoning from CO and related intermediates. As cathode catalyst, it improves the kinetics of the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). Additionally, Sn is an abundant and cheap element. The current contribution outlines the state of the art on the alloy and shape effect on PtSn activity and stability, demonstrating its high potential to develop cheaper, more efficient and durable catalysts for fuel-cell electrodes. Additionally, in situ analytical and spectroscopic studies can shed light on the elementary steps involved in the use of PtSn catalytic systems. Finally, this intriguing material can be used as a parent system for the synthesis of high-entropy-alloys and intermetallics materials.

Aerodynamic design of two-stage centrifugal compressor for vehicle hydrogen fuel cell

Abstract The on-board hydrogen fuel cell is a power generation device that converts the chemical energy of hydrogen and oxygen directly into electrical energy. The centrifugal compressor mainly provides oxygen for the cathode of the fuel cell system. With the rapid development of the hydrogen fuel cell industry, the key components of the air compressor field are also developing rapidly. In the technical route, most companies launched two-stage compression centrifugal air compressors in response to the increasing power of the product development trend. The newly developed hydrogen fuel cell system power has reached above 120kW to meet the needs of heavy trucks and other applications. Both the flow rate and pressure ratio of the air compressor are required to increase accordingly. Based on the reduction of parasitic power, the optimal efficiency at the working point of the two-stage centrifugal air compressor is taken as the design goal, from one-dimensional aerodynamic calculation to two-dimensional flow channel design. Finally, the feasibility and accuracy of the aerodynamic design are verified based on key parameters such as pressure ratio, flow rate, and efficiency of the final stage through CFD flow field simulation and test data comparison. The results show that the flow rate is consistent with the calculated flow field, and the maximum error of pressure ratio and efficiency is less than 2%, which meets the target requirements. The research results can provide a research and development basis for designing high-performance centrifugal air compressors for fuel cell vehicles.

Research Progress and Prospects of Bipolar Plate Materials for Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells

The bipolar plate is an essential component of proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFC), with crucial functions such as gas separation, cooling, conduction, heat dissipation, and water ejection. The advancement of proton exchange membrane fuel cell technology relies on the performance of the bipolar plate. Recognizing the significance of bipolar plates for PEMFC functionality, researchers have been striving to create bipolar plates with high conductivity, good gas tightness, appropriate mechanical properties, corrosion resistance, and cost-effectiveness. This paper provides a detailed analysis of recent research progress on bipolar plates, aiming to contribute to the development of new and optimized products in the PEM fuel cell industry. The study in this paper focuses on three aspects: (1) Introduction to the polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cell technology system and development directions, (2) Discussion on the structure of carbon-based fillers and their impact on the final electrical performance of composite bipolar plates, (3) Introduction to the Dual Percolation Effects of resins and Their Applications.

Block copolymers as anion exchange membrane in fuel cells

Anion exchange membranes play a crucial part as the primary component of alkaline fuel cells, yet their optimization remains an ongoing endeavor. While research and development efforts have made strides in advancing anion exchange membranes, a pressing need exists to further refine their mechanical properties, ionic conductivity, and chemical stability, especially in comparison to proton exchange membranes. Block copolymers have emerged as promising candidates among the array of materials explored for enhancing anion exchange membranes due to their inherent advantages. These copolymers offer unparalleled flexibility in adjustment and boast superior mechanical properties, making them highly adaptable for modifying anion exchange membranes to meet desired specifications. In order to demonstrate the benefits of block copolymer, this paper primarily summarizes and examines the techniques for varying the material content, investigating composition to identify the block copolymer anion exchanging membrane with exceptional performance characteristics, and contrasting it with the random copolymer, polymer blend, and homopolymer exchange membrane. The results unequivocally demonstrate the efficacy of block copolymers in improving the material structure of exchange membranes by fine-tuning the polymer content. Notably, block copolymers outperform other copolymers in significantly enhancing the performance metrics of anion exchange membranes. In summary, studying block copolymers is a practical way to significantly enhance the performance and functionality of anionic exchange membranes, which will help the alkaline fuel cell industry move toward greater sustainability

Nucleation-Controlled Production of Sub-50 nm Carbon Nanotubes through Electrochemical Conversion of Carbon Dioxide in Carbonate Molten Salt

The increasing emission of carbon dioxide worldwide has emerged as a major global concern in the context of addressing climate change. Converting CO2 to high-value carbon materials is a promising solution to capture emitted carbon for achieving carbon neutrality. Furthermore, such conversion can provide carbon nanomaterials for key industries, including the lithium battery and fuel cell industries. Here, it is shown that sub-50 nm tangled carbon nanotubes (CNTs) can be synthesized by adjusting the metaborate concentration and the current density through the electrochemical conversion of carbon dioxide in a molten carbonate salt. The metaborate ion concentration affects the product selectivity and carbon morphology, and the current density is strongly related to the particle size of in situ seed catalysts supplied by the dissolution of an Ni-Fe-Cr alloy anode. The optimized process conditions control the nucleation and growth of carbon via a tip-growth mechanism, thereby promoting the formation of sub-50 nm CNTs rather than bulky irregular carbon particles. The Raman and Brunauer–Emmett–Teller analyses showed that the properties of the prepared CNTs depended on the synthetic parameters. This study provides deep insights into the mechanism underlying carbon synthesis through the electrochemical reduction of a molten carbonate salt.

Optimisation of bipolar plate through computational fluid dynamic simulation and modelling using nickle open pore cellular foam material

Bipolar plates remain one of the key components in PEM fuel cells. It serves as the medium (Channel) in which the reactive substances (Hydrogen and oxygen/air) finally converge on the catalyst layer where the electrochemical reaction leading to the release of electron (electricity) occurs. Its optimization would eventually have an immense impact on the performance of the fuel cell. Simulation and modelling is a key tool in the engineering industry as it saves engineers time and money before the manufacturing of any engineering product. It helps manufacturers have firsthand information about the design feasibility before the manufacturing process in a workshop.This paper reports the modelling and simulation of the bipolar plate in fuel cell using nickel Open Pore Cellular Foam material through computational fluid dynamics software (Ansys CFX). The modelled bipolar plate was validated through design of experiments (DOE) in Ansys and compared with other flow plate design (serpentine) in the fuel cell industry.

Excellent catalytic effect of V2C MXene on dehydrogenation performance of α-AlH3

Lowering the dehydrogenation temperature and maintaining high dehydrogenation capacity are greatly hindering the practical application of α-AlH3 for the hydrogen fuel cell industry. Herein, the layered accordion-like V2C MXene is synthesized and doped into α-AlH3 by mild ball milling. The 1 wt.% V2C-catalyzed α-AlH3 possesses excellent dehydrogenation performance with a low initial decomposition temperature of 70.5 °C and a high hydrogen release capacity of 8.1 wt.%. Furthermore, 7.8 wt.% of hydrogen could be quickly released from α-AlH3-1 wt.% V2C composite within 15 min at 120 °C, with a lower activation energy of 69.5 kJ/mol than that of as-received sample. The excellent dehydrogenation performance is attributed to the high activity of the zero valence V catalyst which is transformed from the multivalent V during ball milling and to promote dissociation and reorganization of hydrogen. This effective approach significantly enhances the dehydrogenation of α-AlH3, providing a hopeful approach for modifying metal hydrides.

Screening of sealing materials for PEM fuel cell applications based on weight factor method

AbstractThe inexpensive, endurable sealing members are among the key components determining the performance and durability of proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs). However, there is a lack of effective in situ measurement to monitor the sealing performance change in the fuel cell operation environment. Therefore, the durability of a sealing material should be assessed previously to its application. The present work investigates four types of commercially available sealing silicone rubbers, and five groups of aging tests are carried out to compare their properties and durability in a simulated PEMFC environment, including compression set, stress relaxation, compression stress–strain, solution soaking, and low‐temperature characterization. Furthermore, to comprehensively evaluate the performance of these four types of silicone rubbers and screen out the most suitable one, a comprehensive evaluation table of sealing materials selection based on weight factor was established through an expert survey method, by which the experimental results of all the silicone rubbers can be weighted and scored. This method can be widely used in the fuel cell industry.

Porous metal foam flow field and heat evaluation in PEMFC: A review

Abstract A proton-exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) generates electricity, heat, and water from oxygen and fuel. Hydrogen is recommended as a fuel because it is a renewable fuel when manufactured, for example, by water electrolysis using renewable energy power. Porous metal has excellent characteristics such as controlled permeability, low density, and high porosity. Corrosion is now the most major hurdle to the use of porous metal in PEMFCs, and owing to the porous metal’s complicated internal structure, additional challenges must be addressed in the coating preparation process. As a result, this article figures out how to successfully handle the porous metal corrosion problem in a PEMFC setting, which increases the porous metal utilization in the fuel cell industry. This article also examined the flow field in PEMFC and important characteristics. The influence of flow field in the fuel cell was also investigated.

Pyrolyzed POMs@ZIF-67 Exhibiting High Performance as Direct Glucose Fuel Cell Anode Catalysts

Polyoxometalates (POMs) are three-dimensional materials with unique, exceptional physical and chemical characteristics. The performance of POM-derived materials is anticipated to be enhanced by the combination of POM and metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) due to the high surface areas of MOF materials. In this study, three kinds of T-POMs@ZIF-67 (T-PMo@ZIF-67, T-SiW@ZIF-67, and T-PW@ZIF-67) were prepared by doping a cobalt-based MOF (ZIF-67) with three POMs (phosphomolybdic acid, silicotungstic acid, and phosphotungstic acid). The results show that the power density of the T-PMo@ZIF-67 catalyst anode is 3.08 times that of the blank control anode and 1.34 times that of the CoMoO4 catalyst. These findings suggest that the synthesis of MOF derivatives by doping MOFs with POM will have significant potential for use in the fuel cell industry.

Dynamic correlations and volatility spillovers between subsectoral clean‐energy stocks and commodity futures markets: A hedging perspective

AbstractThis study investigates the time‐varying connectedness between subsectoral clean‐energy stocks and fossil fuel energy commodities (crude oil, natural gas, and coal) over the period of December 2013–January 2023 employing the Diebold and Yilmaz approach and the dynamic conditional correlation generalized autoregressive conditional heteroscedasticity model. According to the findings, oil transmits the highest volatility spillover shocks to biofuels, and the least to the fuel cell industry. Both natural gas and coal transmit the highest volatility spillover shocks to energy storage, and the least to geothermal and green information technology, respectively. The study also finds strong and time‐varying volatility connectedness among clean‐energy assets and fossil fuels, significantly affected by global extreme events, such as the COVID‐19 pandemic and the Russia–Ukraine conflict. Additionally, the study provides time‐varying and mean optimal hedge ratios with optimal portfolio weights for investors. The empirical results are robust, and important portfolio and policy implications based on empirical findings are provided.

Valorization of Naturally Abundant Low-Value Peat into Highly Active Non-Platinum Group Metal Oxygen Reduction Catalysts

As society continues to adopt an increasingly eco-friendly stance, the efficient usage of natural resources needs to be maximised. For instance, energy obtained from biomass covers roughly a tenth of the global demand. This biomass can instead be used as a carbon source to produce value-added materials such as tnon-platinum group metal (NPGM) oxygen reduction catalysts, which are desperately sought after as global demand for fuel cells continues to rise [1,2]. For example, peat is an extremely abundant biomass material in Estonia covering roughly 20% of the country [3]. Herein, the viability of using peat-based catalysts as oxygen reduction catalysts in alkaline media was investigated.The peat sourced from a local peatland was processed and modified with inexpensive iron and nitrogen precursors through the common double-pyrolysis and acid washing synthesis procedure into peat-based NPGM catalysts. Additionally, zinc chloride was used as a pore forming agent. The influence of several principal synthesis parameters, e.g. precursor compound type and amount, on the physical and electrochemical properties of these materials was investigated using various characterization methods.The NPGM catalysts obtained from naturally abundant peat were highly microporous systems due to the inclusion of zinc chloride in the synthesis mixture. High onset (~0.93 V vs RHE) and half-wave potential (~0.83 V vs RHE) values were obtained for most of the materials in activity screening experiments conducted with a rotating disc electrode setup using 0.1 M KOH. However, using an excessive amount of the nitrogen precursor in the synthesis proved to be detrimental to the obtained activity. The high activity of the obtained peat-derived catalysts was further investigated in a rotating ring disc electrode setup where the influence of the studied synthesis parameters on the oxygen reduction reaction selectivity was more evident. Acknowledgments This work was supported by the EU through the European Regional Development Fund under projects TK141 “Advanced materials and high-technology devices for energy recuperation systems” (2014-2020.4.01.15-0011), NAMUR “Nanomaterials - research and applications” (3.2.0304.12-0397), NAMUR+ core facility funded by the Estonian Research Council (TT 13), PRG676 “Development of express analysis methods for micro-mesoporous materials for Estonian peat derived carbon supercapacitors” (01.01.2020–31.12.2024) and PUT1581 (1.01.2017–31.12.2020). References F. Jaouen, D. Jones, N. Coutard, V. Artero, P. Strasser, A. Kucernak, Johns. Matthey Technol Rev. 2018, 62, 231. E4tech, 2022, The Fuel Cell Industry Review 2021. M. Orru, H. Orru, Est. J. Earth Sci. 2008, 57, 87.

How Will China's Clean Energy Industry Develop?

This paper mainly takes China's clearer energy industry as the research object, and adopts the methods of literature analysis, comparative analysis and data analysis. The research compares and analyzes the current situation and evolution of the global and Chinese clearer power profession, and draws out the overall characteristics of the evolution and development of China’s clean energy industry. From three different levels of clearer power types, it specifically analyzes three major clean energy industries: solar energy industry, clean coal industry and fuel cell industry. The study found that with the continuous development of energy technology and profession, China’s clean energy industry is gradually opening up, and clean power discourse in the international market will continue to improve. Based on these conclusions, China’s clean energy industry needs cooperation, especially exploring the mode of mixed ownership between private and state-owned enterprises. By lowering the threshold for market access, it will greatly encourage entrepreneurship and innovation in the energy field, and jointly promote the globalization of China's clean energy industry.

Assessing the Efficiency of Ion Exchange Resins for the Recovery of Scandium from Sulfuric Acid Leaching Solutions

Scandium, a valuable element with restricted production sources mainly situated in China and Russia, is typically obtained as a by-product during the production of various materials. As the demand for scandium grows in the expanding aluminum and fuel cell industries, and with significant investments in rare earth mining in the USA and Australia, there is a need to explore alternative recovery sources. This research investigates the recovery of scandium from an acid pregnant leaching solution using ion exchange resins. The pregnant leaching solution was obtained after the leaching of bauxite residue with sulfuric acid. Commercial resins with different functional groups were tested for their performance in scandium extraction. In addition, the co-adsorption of impurities, such as iron and titanium, was studied. The feed solution consisted of 12.7 mg/L Sc and main impurities of 272 mg/L Fe and 33.6 mg/L Ti and was pretreated before the ion exchange process by acidification with sulfuric acid and iron powder addition to suppress silica gel formation and minimize the Fe(III) content in the solution accordingly. Among the tested resins, a D2EHPA-impregnated resin had high selectivity for Sc towards Ti, while a monophosphonic resin was also a promising option since it had a higher capacity for Sc but co-extracted Ti. These findings offer promising opportunities for the recovery of scandium from acid leaching solutions and could contribute to addressing the growing demand for this valuable element.

Iron single Atom–Iron nanoparticles dual-deposited nitrogen-doped graphene hybrid as an innovative catalyst to enhance the oxygen reduction reaction

The fabrication of an effective electrocatalyst for cathodic oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) is important to enhance the performance of fuel cell applications. Here, we prepared a novel hybrid material based on the combination of iron single atoms–small iron nanoparticles homogeneously distributed on the surface of nitrogen-doped graphene nanosheets (FeSA-FeNPs/NG). The achieved FeSA–FeNPs/NG material exhibited high catalytic ORR behaviors with high positive values of +0.94 V and +0.81 V for onset potential and half-wave potential, respectively, as well as the remarkable stability with 90% retention of initial current over an operation period of 15 000 s), superior to commercial Pt/C in 0.1 M KOH medium. In addition, the material favored a four-electron reaction pathway along with good methanol crossover tolerance towards ORR. The outstanding catalytic performance could be attributed to the formation of a unique microporous nanoarchitecture owning large specific surface area of 103.63 m2 g−1 and high conductivity, which create rich active sites and fast charge transfer ability, thus effectively accelerating the adsorption and catalyzation processes to convert oxygen reactant to product during ORR. These findings suggest a novel route for the synthesis of potential catalysts exhibiting excellent efficiency and cost effectiveness for fuel cell industries.

Fuel Cell Products for Sustainable Transportation and Stationary Power Generation: Review on Market Perspective

The present day energy supply scenario is unsustainable and the transition towards a more environmentally friendly energy supply system of the future is inevitable. Hydrogen is a potential fuel that is capable of assisting with this transition. Certain technological advancements and design challenges associated with hydrogen generation and fuel cell technologies are discussed in this review. The commercialization of hydrogen-based technologies is closely associated with the development of the fuel cell industry. The evolution of fuel cell electric vehicles and fuel cell-based stationary power generation products in the market are discussed. Furthermore, the opportunities and threats associated with the market diffusion of these products, certain policy implications, and roadmaps of major economies associated with this hydrogen transition are discussed in this review.

Recent Development of Fuel Cell Core Components and Key Materials: A Review

Fuel cells, as key carriers for hydrogen energy development and utilization, provide a vital opportunity to achieve zero-emission energy use and have thus attracted considerable attention from fundamental research to industrial application levels. Considering the current status of fuel cell technology and the industry, this paper presents a systematic elaboration of progress and development trends in fuel cell core components and key materials, such as stacks, bipolar plates, membrane electrodes, proton exchange membranes, catalysts, gas diffusion layers, air compressors, and hydrogen circulation systems. In addition, some proposals for the development of fuel cell vehicles in China are presented, based on the analysis of current supporting policies, standards, and regulations, along with manufacturing costs in China. The fuel cell industry of China is still in the budding stage of development and thus suffers some challenges, such as lagging fundamental systems, imperfect standards and regulations, high product costs, and uncertain technical safety and stability levels. Therefore, to accelerate the development of the hydrogen energy and fuel cell vehicle industry, it is an urgent need to establish a complete supporting policy system, accelerate technical breakthroughs, transformations, and applications of key materials and core components, and reduce the cost of hydrogen use.

A fractal analytical model for Kozeny-Carman constant and permeability of roughened porous media composed of particles and converging-diverging capillaries

Seepage of particles in porous media has attracted considerable attention due to its extensive existence in nature. In this work, we have derived a novel fractal model for Kozeny-Carman (KC) constant and dimensionless permeability of roughened porous media composed of particles and converging-diverging capillaries. The model for KC constant and dimensionless permeability involves structural parameters of the media, such as porosity (Φ), fractal dimensions (dT and df), relative roughness (ξ), and the fluctuation amplitude (k) of capillary cross-section size. We systematically investigated the influence of the parameters above on the KC constant and the dimensionless permeability. An increase in fluctuation amplitude leads to an increase in the KC and a decrease in dimensionless permeability. In addition, the influence of the fluctuation amplitude on the KC constant and the dimensionless permeability will be more obvious with an increase in porosity. Furthermore, the effect of the fluctuation amplitude of capillary bundles on permeability satisfies the physical law. Comparisons with the experimental data in literature verifies the accuracy of the proposed fractal model. Thus, the proposed model may further reveal the physical mechanism of the fluid flow in roughened porous media, providing a better theoretical basis for various practical applications, such as petroleum engineering and fuel-cell industry.

Design optimization of proton exchange membrane fuel cell bipolar plate

The bipolar plate geometry design is one of the fuel cell's key features that determines the cell's power. It equally has a direct correlation to the thermal and water management of the cell as it tends to regulate the amount of by-product water that can be expunged from the fuel cell. This study, therefore, explored the development of novel bipolar plate geometry designs, namely the square baffled channel, the rectangular baffled channel, the parallel channel design, and the double serpentine geometry design. This was further compared with the traditional serpentine design to ascertain the design with the optimum fuel cell performance. With the squared baffled channel presenting the best results, varying operating conditions that will influence the performance of the novel fuel cell channel design were also evaluated. It was observed that the hydrogen mass fraction increased by 22.6% for the square baffled channel design compared with the other geometry designs considered in the present study. The square baffle channel showed 12.11% increase in power density and 14.54% increase in current density compared to the rectangular baffle channel. In terms of the parallel channel design, the square baffle showed 18.941% increase in power density and 22.278% increase in current density. The least performing channel geometry design was the double serpentine design. Comparing the double serpentine channel geometry design to the square baffle channel geometry design, there was an increase in current density by 67.72% and 77.88% in terms of power density in favour of the square baffle channel geometry design. The square baffle channel also showed 50% increase in current density and 58.23% increase in power density compared to conventional serpentine channel flow plate geometry design. An adaptive neuro fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) was also adopted to predict the output power of the cell. This was then compared with Feed Forward Back Propagation Neural Network to determine the model with the most accurate results. The adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference model accurately predicted the non-linearities associated with fuel cell performance, hence recommended as ideal for Proton Exchange membrane fuel cell prediction. The main contribution for the study is the development of optimal flow plate geometry design that will ensure maximum fuel cell performance. The current study is aimed at providing technical information to policy makers and the fuel cell industry on how optimization of the flow plate design via the introduction of baffles could increase the cell performance hence accelerates its commercialization and widen their applications in various sectors beyond the automotive industry.

Study on the Application of Hydrogen Fuel Cells in Passenge Cars and Prospects

The increasing demand for clean and sustainable energy sources has driven extensive research and development in the field of hydrogen fuel cell technology. This article provides an in-depth analysis of the advancements in hydrogen fuel cell technology and its potential application in passenger cars as a widely available, clean, and efficient energy source. By reviewing the current status of hydrogen fuel cells and national policies governing their implementation, this study aims to shed light on the development characteristics of China's hydrogen fuel cell industry, while also drawing comparisons with international hydrogen fuel cell policies and applications. Additionally, the article evaluates the performance of existing hydrogen fuel cell passenger cars in the market and proposes the application of future cutting-edge technologies to further enhance their capabilities. Through meticulous paraphrasing and enrichment, this scholarly work offers a comprehensive overview of hydrogen fuel cell technology, delves into the intricate landscape of the industry, and explores the promising prospects for its continued advancement. By encompassing a wide array of aspects related to hydrogen fuel cell technology, this article contributes to the academic discourse surrounding sustainable and efficient energy solutions for the transportation sector.