FuelCellsWorks

Picture: Sergei Kalinin

Visualisation of platinum coating in fuel cells. The red areas show high ion transfer activity, the turquoise-green elevations represent the nanoparticles. The picture shows that ion transfer is not uniform all over the coating.

For the first time, physical chemistry reactions in a fuel cell can now be observed and described in detail on the nano­scale. This innovation is due to a new microscopy technique devised by an international research team involving Heidelberg mathe­matician Dr. Francesco Ciucci and scientists from the United States and Ukraine. The new technique means that oxygen reduction, which is significant for the energy generated in a fuel cell, can now be represented at a resolution of one millionth of a millimetre. The research findings will be used to develop more efficient and powerful hydrogen fuel cells.

Fuel cells convert the energy in a fuel like hydrogen into electric energy. A hydrogen fuel cell consists of two electrodes facing one another and separated by an ion conductor. Electric energy is gained via transfer of ions between the two electrodes. The oxygen in the air reacts with the hydrogen brought in from outside. In this process of oxygen reduction, a catalyst – frequently the rare and expensive platinum – plays an essential role as reaction accelerator. In all this, says Francesco Ciucci, the oxygen reduction process is the limiting factor in connection with the longevity and efficiency of fuel cells.

“To optimise ion transfer between the electrodes, a number of fundamental questions have to be answered,” says the mathematician. “How and where exactly does oxygen reduction occur and how does platinum function as a catalyst? Up to now we have had to do without a suitable instrument for investigating the reaction dynamics involved.” Francesco Ciucci’s research has been funded by a grant from Heidelberg University’s Graduate School of Mathematical and Computational Methods for the Sciences. In its course, and in conjunction with Dr. Amit Kumar at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory in the USA and Dr. Anna Morozovska of the Ukrainian National Academy of Sciences, Dr. Ciucci has developed a new microscopy technique that can monitor ion transfer on the nanoscale. The technique is called “Electrochemical Strain Microscopy” (ESM).

The ESM technique is based on a mathematical model, a so-called partial differential equation, that describes the movement of oxygen in various materials. By way of this mathematical description, the measurement data from “Electrochemical Strain Microscopy” could be visualised on the computer screen. “What we have found out from this,” says Dr. Ciucci, “is that the catalyst layer of 50-nanometre platinum particles does not allow an equal degree of ion transfer at all points.” The innovative microscopy technique ESM is not restricted to the optimisation of fuel cells. Dr. Ciucci points out that it is suitable for investigating chemical processes on all surfaces where materials interact via ion transfer.

The research findings have been published in the “Nature Chemistry” journal.

Original publication
A. Kumar, F. Ciucci, A.N. Morozovska, S.V. Kalinin and S. Jesse: Measuring oxygen reduction/evolution reactions on the nanoscale. Nature Chemistry 3, 707-713 (2011), doi:10.1038/nchem.1112

Fiscal Year 2012 Appropriations Conference Report

Funds Our Programs in EERE at $104 Million and FE at $25 Million,

Both Above the President’s Budget Request

Crucial Report Language Retained

NETL Directed to Include Fuel Cells in Coal Research and Development

The House Appropriations Committee  released the details of H.R. 3671, the Combined Appropriations Act, 2012. This omnibus appropriations bill funds the federal government through September 30, 2012, including the Department of Energy (DoE).

Although yet to be voted on in the House and Senate, H.R. 3671 represents the outcome of negotiations between the two chambers, and it is virtually assured of passage, and President Obama’s signature, without further modification sometime in the next few days.

The bill appropriates $104 million to fuel cell and hydrogen energy programs within the DoE’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), and $25 million to the Solid State Energy Conversion Alliance, the solid oxide fuel cell program within DoE’s Office of Fossil Energy. These figures represent an increase of $6 million and $25 million, respectively, over President Obama’s FY 2012 budget request. The bill is available here, and is also available here. The programmatic recommendations are available on pages 41 (a) and (b) in the Joint Explanatory Statement of the Conference Committee which is available here and is also available here.

Equally important is the bill’s preservation of highly favorable report language in the original House and Senate FY 2012 Energy and Water (E&W) Appropriations bills. The House bill recommended “not less than $25 million to continue the Department’s research, development, and demonstration of solid oxide fuel cell systems, which have the potential to substantially increase the efficiency of clean coal power generation systems, to create new opportunities for the efficient use of natural gas, and to contribute significantly to the development of alternative-fuel vehicles.” This language can be found on page 100 of the House Appropriation

Committee’s report on the FY 2012 Energy and Water Appropriations Bill, available here, and also available here.

In the Senate FY 2012 E&W Appropriations bill, the report language “recognizes the progress and achievements of the Fuel Cell Technologies program. The program has met or exceeded all benchmarks, and has made significant progress in decreasing costs and increasing efficiency and durability of fuel cell and hydrogen energy systems. Further, the Committee believes fuel cell and hydrogen energy systems for stationary, transportation and other motive, mobile and portable power applications have the potential to enable clean and efficient use of our domestic energy resources. The Committee affirms its support for stable and continued funding for these programs now and in the future. Within the available funds, the Committee recommends funding is provided for Technology Validation focused on passenger vehicle and hydrogen infrastructure applications, hydrogen fuels R&D, and for Market Transformation in early markets,” (emphasis added). This language can be found on page 77 of the Senate Appropriation Committee’s report on the FY 2012 Energy and Water Appropriations Bill, available here, and also available here.

H.R. 3671 does not include such report language in its text, but the Joint Explanatory Statement of the Conference Committee instructs that the report language in the House and Senate bills “should be complied with,” and “is approved by the committee of conference.” The Statement is available here and is also available here. The Statement also directs the National Energy Technologies Laboratory (NETL) to include fuel cells within its Coal Research and Development, part of Fossil Energy’s CCS and Power Systems program. Fuel cells had been excluded from CCS and Power Systems in the President’s FY 2012 budget request, as well as the original House and Senate E&W bills.

The funding levels and sections of report language represent hard-fought victories for the FCHEA and its members—the results of more than a year of tireless and dedicated work. They are important signals to the Administration, as we head into the budgeting process for FY 2013, and could be turning points in getting ahead of the curve, so that we are not fighting the same appropriations battles year after year.

Thanks to all who worked so hard to get this done. Please be sure to contact your Senator and Representative, thank them for their work on this bill, and encourage them to support it.