Imperfect graphene could boost fuel cell technology
18 Mar 2015
Scientists at Northwestern University, US have discovered that imperfect graphene creates a proton-selective membrane that could lead to improved fuel cells.
Such improved fuel cells could be achieved because the speed at which imperfect graphene helps shuttle protons, and only protons, from one side of a graphene membrane to the other offers engineers a new and simpler mechanism for fuel cell design, the Northwestern researchers said.
“Our data show if you want to get protons through, you need less perfect graphene
Lead researcher Franz M. Geiger
“Imagine an electric car that charges in the same time it takes to fill a car with gas,” said chemist Franz M. Geiger, who led the research.
“And better yet, imagine an electric car that uses hydrogen as fuel, not fossil fuels or ethanol, and not electricity from the power grid, to charge a battery,” Geiger said.
“Our surprising discovery provides an electrochemical mechanism that could make these things possible one day.”
Geiger said that the trick to developing a proton-selective membrane is to purposely create imperfect graphene.
“Everyone always strives to make really pristine graphene, but our data show if you want to get protons through, you need less perfect graphene,” Geiger said.
By removing a few carbon atoms, the remaining atoms become highly reactive, which starts the proton shuttling process, Geiger said.
“Our results will not make a fuel cell tomorrow, but it provides a mechanism for engineers to design a proton separation membrane that is far less complicated than what people had thought before,” Geiger said.
“All you need is slightly imperfect single-layer graphene.”
