FuelCellsWorks

CSR10 latent acid catalyst enables safer handling, faster processing; makes new industrial processes possible and reduces costs

Southampton, UK– Bac2 has developed a latent acid catalyst, CSR10, that can be added to highly reactive pre-polymeric resins to enable them to be stored for at least 3 months prior to controlled polymerization at around 120 degrees C. Alternative catalysts have relatively poor storage characteristics, typically retarding violent polymerization reactions for just a few hours. Others require temperatures above 200 degrees C for activation, levels that are impractical for most polymer manufacturing processes. CSR10 will be particularly useful where polymeric pre-mix production is not carried out close to molding operations, as it enables safer transportation and storage of the bulk materials and reduces handling costs.

Pre-polymeric resins catalyzed by acids include phenol-formaldehyde resoles, furfuryl alcohol resins and amino-formaldehyde resins. They are widely used in everyday products including chipboard and laminates, composites in glass-reinforced plastics, foam insulation, abrasives and many other high volume products. The ability to control the reactivity of a pre-polymer-catalyst system is crucial in terms of safety and processing economics. Thermosetting resins can be violently reactive when mixed with strong acids and dangerous exothermic reactions can result. Furfuryl alcohol, for example, is a reactive pre-polymer component in varnishes, binders and composites. Like other thermosetting pre-polymers, furfuryl alcohol reacts violently when acidified, restricting its use to applications where acids are not used or where bulk preparation and storage is not important. CSR10 has been used to harness the reactivity of pre-polymers in order to reduce materials handling and processing costs, and enable the use of a wider range of pre-polymers in industrial applications.

The catalyst was originally developed for use with ElectroPhen™, Bac2’s conductive polymer used in the production of components for fuel cell plates1. In this application it had been necessary to pre-mix the catalyst and resin immediately before molding. The development of CSR10 has enabled storage life of the pre-mix to be extended from 30 minutes to over 3 months, dramatically reducing processing and equipment costs and increasing quality and reproducibility.

Bac2 Ltd
Bac2 is the developer of ElectroPhen®, an electrically conductive plastic that will make a significant contribution to the early adoption of clean energy from fuel cell stacks. Fuel cells are technically proven sources of clean energy for our planet, but adoption is presently limited by cost. Bac2 is in the process of developing ElectroPhen® commercially and has patents pending in Europe, America and Japan. ElectroPhen® is made from readily available low-cost constituents, can be pressed or moulded to complex shapes, and is robust enough for harsh environments. By comparison, competitors produce composite plates using electrically insulating resins to bind together conductive particles such as graphite. In addition to its role in fuel cells, Bac2 will find an increasingly wide range of applications for ElectroPhen in electrical and electronic industries.

Bac2, Millbrook Technology Campus, Second Avenue, Southampton, S015 0DJ
james.lewis@bac2.co.uk
Tel: +44 (0) 1865 331413

Economical hydrogen-based vehicles could result from rechargeable ‘chemical fuel tank’

A new method for “recycling” hydrogen-containing fuel materials could open the door to economically viable hydrogen-based vehicles.

In an article appearing today in Angewandte Chemie, Los Alamos National Laboratory and University of Alabama researchers working within the U.S. Department of Energy’s Chemical Hydrogen Storage Center of Excellence describe a significant advance in hydrogen storage science.

Hydrogen is in many ways an ideal fuel for transportation. It is abundant and can be used to run a fuel cell, which is much more efficient than internal combustion engines. Its use in a fuel cell also eliminates the formation of gaseous byproducts that are detrimental to the environment.

For use in transportation, a fuel ideally should be lightweight to maintain overall fuel efficiency and pack a high energy content into a small volume. Unfortunately, under normal conditions, pure hydrogen has a low energy density per unit volume, presenting technical challenges for its use in vehicles capable of travelling 300 miles or more on a single fuel tank—a benchmark target set by DOE.

Consequently, until now, the universe’s lightest element has been considered by some as a lightweight in terms of being a viable transportation fuel.

In order to overcome some of the energy density issues associated with pure hydrogen, work within the Chemical Hydrogen Storage Center of Excellence has focused on using a class of materials known as chemical hydrides. Hydrogen can be released from these materials and potentially used to run a fuel cell. These compounds can be thought of as “chemical fuel tanks” because of their hydrogen storage capacity.

Ammonia borane is an attractive example of a chemical hydride because its hydrogen storage capacity approaches a whopping 20 percent by weight. The chief drawback of ammonia borane, however, has been the lack of energy-efficient methods to reintroduce hydrogen back into the spent fuel once it has been released. In other words, until recently, after hydrogen release, ammonia borane couldn’t be adequately recycled.

Los Alamos researchers have been working with University of Alabama colleagues on developing methods for the efficient recycling of ammonia borane. The research team made a breakthrough when it discovered that a specific form of dehydrogenated fuel, called polyborazylene, could be recycled with relative ease using modest energy input. This development is a significant step toward using ammonia borane as a possible energy carrier for transportation purposes.

“This research represents a breakthrough in the field of hydrogen storage and has significant practical applications,” said Dr. Gene Peterson, leader of the Chemistry Division at Los Alamos. “The chemistry is new and innovative, and the research team is to be commended on this excellent achievement.”

The Chemical Hydrogen Storage Center of Excellence is one of three Center efforts funded by DOE. The other two focus on hydrogen sorption technologies and storage in metal hydrides. The Center of Excellence is a collaboration between Los Alamos, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, and academic and industrial partners.

Referring to the work described in the Angewandte Chemie article, Los Alamos researcher John Gordon, corresponding author for the paper, stated, “Collaboration encouraged by our Center model was responsible for this breakthrough. At the outset there were myriad potential reagents with which to attempt this chemistry.”

“The predictive calculations carried out by University of Alabama professor Dave Dixon’s group were crucial in guiding the experimental work of Los Alamos postdoctoral researcher Ben Davis,” Gordon added. “The excellent synergy between these two groups clearly enabled this advance.”

The research team currently is working with colleagues at The Dow Chemical Company, another Center partner, to improve overall chemical efficiencies and move toward large-scale implementation of hydrogen-based fuels within the transportation sector.

An electronic version of the article as it appears in issue 37 of Angewandte Chemie International Edition is available online:

http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/cgi-bin/fulltext/122453478/PDFSTART

About Los Alamos National Laboratory (www.lanl.gov)

Los Alamos National Laboratory, a multidisciplinary research institution engaged in strategic science on behalf of national security, is operated by Los Alamos National Security, LLC, a team composed of Bechtel National, the University of California, The Babcock & Wilcox Company, and the Washington Division of URS for the Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration.

Los Alamos enhances national security by ensuring the safety and reliability of the U.S. nuclear stockpile, developing technologies to reduce threats from weapons of mass destruction, and solving problems related to energy, environment, infrastructure, health, and global security concerns.

Hydrogenics Corporation (TSX: HYG)(NASDAQ: HYGS), a leading developer and manufacturer of hydrogen generation and fuel cell products, today announced that it will participate in the Rodman & Renshaw Annual Global Investment Conference on September 10, 2009 at the New York Palace Hotel. Daryl Wilson, President and Chief Executive Officer, and Lawrence Davis, Chief Financial Officer, will review the company’s operations and financial performance at 12:30 p.m. Eastern Time.

A live audio webcast of the presentation will be accessible via the Hydrogenics website. To hear the presentation and view related materials, please visit the website at www.hydrogenics.com. A replay will be available for ninety days. Additional information about this conference can be found at www.rodm.com.

ABOUT HYDROGENICS

Hydrogenics Corporation (www.hydrogenics.com) is a globally recognized developer and provider of hydrogen generation and fuel cell products and services, serving the growing industrial and clean energy markets of today and tomorrow. Based in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada, Hydrogenics has operations in North America and Europe.