Research model of hydrogen-oxygen fuel cell

Model of a hydrogen-oxygen fuel cell (FC)
designed for the investigation of the electrochemical
and energy characteristics of new promising
materials and electrocatalysts.

Applications

It is envisaged to use the model of FC for the investigation of new electrode materials and electro chemical systems of hydrogen power engineering; it can also be used for laboratory studies in the course “Alternative electro chemical power engineering” at higher education institutions for students of electro chemical specialities or at secondary school in physics and chemistry lessons.

Brief description

The model of FC consists of two plates made of compact graphite and has channels for the feed and withdrawal of reactants. Between the plates is a membrane-electrode unit with a proton-conducting membrane (e.g. FumaTech F 950), electrocatalysts and gas feed layers. The elements of the FC are squeezed together by copper plates, which serve as current taps.

Expected properties

By using the model, new developed materials can be optimized for using them in real fuel cells and introducing them into mass production.

Advantages

The hydrogen-oxygen FC has all characteristic features of real FCs, and its use for the development of new technologies allows one to use small amounts of materials under investigation.

Competitors

Astris Energi, Inc;
Avista Lab;
BCS Technology, Inc;
Electro-Chem-Technic;
Heliocentrics;;
H-tec Wasserstoff-Energy-System GmbH..

State of development

A laboratory model has been developed and made (see Fig). A procedure has been designed for the synthesis and investigation of functional hybrid composite materials based on multicomponent systems with carbon nanotubes as the oxygen reduction electrocatalysts of the membrane-electrode unit of the competitive FC.

Intellectual property

The results of this development are the property of the V.I.Vernadskii Institute of General and Inorganic Chemistry of the Ukrainian NAS.
An article has been published in the journal Nanostrukturne Materialoznavstvo, no 2, pp 47-57 (2012). An application for grant of a Ukrainian patent for the invention “Method for the preparation of oxygen reduction electrocatalysts” is being prepared.

Contact information

Executive: V.I. Vernadskii Institute of General and Inorganic Chemistry of the Ukrainian NAS,
prospekt Palladina 32-34, 03680 Kyiv, Ukraine.

Project №43 «Highly efficient electrocatalytic systems for hydrogen-oxygen fuel cells based on carbon- and metal-containing nanostructured hybrid materials»

Contact person:

Pirskyy Yuriy K.

Е-mail: pirsky@ionc.kiev.ua