Scientists develop new material to improve fuel cell performance

SEOUL, May 25 (Yonhap) -- South Korean scientists have developed a new material capable of enhancing the performance of fuel cells that can be used in vehicles and power generation plants in the future, the government said Wednesday.
The Ministry of Education, Science and Technology said that a joint team from the state-run Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI) and the Korea Institute of Energy Research (KIER) used nanotechnology to make a silver-based coating material that can lower operating temperatures of solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs).
The scientists, led by KAERI's Lee Chang-q, said that they have been able to employ relatively cheap "nano powder" to coat the cathode that is essential for generating energy. The nano material allowed operating temperatures to fall to 650 degrees Celsius in laboratory tests.
"Future research will be centered on tests to see if the SOFC can maintain relatively low operating temperatures for a sustained period of time and is able to generate more power output," Lee said.
An SOFC refers to a power conversion device that produces electricity directly from abundant fuel sources such as hydrogen and methane. It is energy-efficient, but barriers like high operating temperatures need to be resolved.
The SOFC's operating temperature can reach as high as 1,000 C, and engineers say that numbers must fall under 650 C for the system to work on a commercially viable level.
In addition to the solid fuel cell, the ministry said engineers at KIER and KAERI have used radiation to make a polymer film for use in direct methanol fuel cells (DMFC). This fuel cell uses common methanol as fuel.
KAERI said the film permitted fuel cells to lead to a noticeable increase in performance compared to existing materials made abroad and used extensively in tests.
yonngong@yna.co.kr