Graphene a Promising Candidate in Fuel Cell Technology: Study

Graphene a Promising Candidate in Fuel Cell Technology: Study
Advertisement

Graphene, impermeable to gases and liquids, can easily allow protons to pass through it, suggesting it could be a promising candidate for use in hydrogen fuel cells, according to a new study published in the journal Nature.

Graphene, an atom-thin film of carbon atoms arranged in a honeycomb pattern, has a number of interesting properties that make it an attractive candidate for various technologies, Xinhua reported citing the study published Wednesday. It was previously assumed that unless graphene had defects, sheets would need to be perforated to allow transport through them.

The latest study was led by Andre Geim from Manchester University and Wu Hengan from the University of Science and Technology of China.

The team tested whether protons were also repelled by graphene, expecting they would be blocked. However, researchers found that protons passed through the ultra-thin crystals surprisingly easily, especially at elevated temperatures and if the films were covered with catalytic nano-particles such as platinum.

(Also See: Graphene Ferroelectric Tunnel Junction Boosts Digital Memory: Study)

The discovery makes graphene an attractive possibility for use as a proton-conducting membrane, which is at the heart of modern fuel cell technology.

Fuel cells use oxygen and hydrogen as a fuel and convert the input chemical energy directly into electricity. Without membranes that allow an exclusive flow of protons but prevent other species to pass through, this technology would not exist.

According to researchers, the discovery could "revolutionise" fuel cells and other hydrogen-based technologies in the future.

Comments

For the latest tech news and reviews, follow Gadgets 360 on X, Facebook, WhatsApp, Threads and Google News. For the latest videos on gadgets and tech, subscribe to our YouTube channel. If you want to know everything about top influencers, follow our in-house Who'sThat360 on Instagram and YouTube.

EU Lawmakers Urge Antitrust Regulators to Get Tough on Google
Mammoth Cloning Closer to Reality With Discovery of Well-Preserved Specimen
Share on Facebook Gadgets360 Twitter Share Tweet Snapchat Share Reddit Comment google-newsGoogle News
 
 

Advertisement

Follow Us

Advertisement

© Copyright Red Pixels Ventures Limited 2024. All rights reserved.
Trending Products »
Latest Tech News »