Sep

25

A Major Hydrogen Production Milestone

September 25, 2008 | 3 Comments

Whether one is dreaming of a hydrogen economy or looking for hydrogen to support carbon fuel production and carbon recycling the news out of the Idaho National Laboratory is the good stuff.
Reversing the technology of a hydrogen fuel cell where the hydrogen and oxygen combine to make electricity the INL group uses the electricity to [...]

Aug

11

Breaking the Boundary - A Connection to a Better Fuel Cell

August 11, 2008 | 3 Comments

For a week I’ve marveled at the innovative connection made at Australia’s Monash University in which Goretex®, a material that’s commonly used in layered fabrics that allows passage of water vapor but not water droplets is being used in a fuel cell development.

Starting with the Goretex® the scientists at Monash applied a fine 0.4 [...]

Aug

8

A New Super ION Conductor for Fuel Cells

August 8, 2008 | 1 Comment

First, not to be confused with a super conductor for electrons as we usually think of “super conductors,” this new material is about moving ions. That has important, perhaps huge implications for fuel cells.
Solid oxide fuel cell technology requires ion-conducting materials as in solid electrolytes that transport the oxygen ions from cathode to anode. Today’s [...]

Jul

18

Spotlighting the Dark Horse of Alternative Fuels

July 18, 2008 | 2 Comments

While the world is watching with horror or glee at the price of oil and its products there is a dark horse out there growing stronger, gaining resources, gathering intelligence and innovation all pointed to pushing oil off of its pedestal. It’s methanol, the one carbon, four hydrogen and one oxygen atom molecule that has [...]

Jun

30

A Fuel Cell Breaks Out

June 30, 2008 | Leave a Comment

The U.S. Department of Defense has adopted the Dupont and SFC Smart Fuel Cell AG product as the “M-25” with the announcement that the M-25 is already deployed. The M-25 is a Direct Methanol Fuel Cell (DMFC) that uses the Dupont fuel cell technology with the expertise of SFC in manufacturing and fuel cell control [...]

Jun

23

A Better Way to Make Carbon Pay

June 23, 2008 | Leave a Comment

It’s been over 110 years since William Jacques, an American electrical engineer and chemist, first described the Direct Carbon Fuel Cell back in 1896 in his original patent application. The DCFC was explored over the years in efforts to overcome the problems until the 1970s when SRI International of Menlo Park California verified the original [...]