Technion researchers say they have found a way to turn one of hydrogen fuel cells' biggest drawbacks into an advantage. In a study published in Nature Energy, they report that carbon dioxide, long viewed as harmful to alkaline fuel cells, may actually improve stability and extend lifespan under certain conditions.
The work focuses on alkaline fuel cells based on an anion exchange membrane, or AEMFC, a technology seen as promising for clean energy because it generates electricity from hydrogen and oxygen while using cheaper, more common materials than conventional fuel cells. That lower cost, combined with high energy efficiency, could support uses in vehicles, aviation, space, drones, distributed power systems, backup electricity, and remote-area supply.
The study was led by Prof. Dario Dekel of the Technion's Wolfson Faculty of Chemical Engineering and head of the Nancy and Stephen Grand Technion Energy Program, together with Prof. Michael Gayer of Tianjin University, Dr. Karem Yasin, who heads the central hydrogen technologies laboratory in the energy program, and Dr. Sapir Vildorf-Cohen. Until now, researchers worldwide tried to keep carbon dioxide out of these cells because it was thought to damage performance and shorten service life.
Dekel said the new paper shows that, contrary to the accepted view, carbon dioxide can contribute to long-term stability in some conditions. He said that about a decade after AEMFCs were first presented as a possible solution for green energy, this approach could finally help develop fuel cells that are more efficient, cheaper, and more durable, and that work well in open air, where carbon dioxide is naturally present. The researchers say the result could have broad practical implications for electric propulsion, from cars and trains to drones and boats, as well as distributed energy systems and autonomous equipment. The study was funded by the Nancy and Stephen Grand Technion Energy Program, the Israel Science Foundation, the Council for Higher Education, and other sources.
