New Energies, new possibilities

An international research team led by the University of Bern has succeeded in developing an electrocatalyst for hydrogen fuel cells which, in contrast to the catalysts commonly used today, does not require a carbon carrier and is therefore much more stable

Fuel cells are gaining in importance as an alternative to battery-operated electromobility in heavy traffic, especially since hydrogen is a CO2-neutral energy carrier if it is obtained from renewable sources. For efficient operation, fuel cells need an electrocatalyst that improves the electrochemical reaction in which electricity is generated. The platinum-cobalt nanoparticle catalysts used as standard today have good catalytic properties and require only as little as necessary rare and expensive platinum. In order for the catalyst to be used in the fuel cell, it must have a surface with very small platinum-cobalt particles in the nanometer range, which is applied to a conductive carbon carrier material. Since the small particles and also the carbon in the fuel cell are exposed to corrosion, the cell loses efficiency and stability over time.

An international team led by Professor Matthias Arenz from the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry (DCB) at the University of Bern has now succeeded in using a special process to produce an electrocatalyst without a carbon carrier, which, unlike existing catalysts, consists of a thin metal network and is therefore more durable. "The catalyst we have developed achieves high performance and promises stable fuel cell operation even at higher temperatures and high current density," says Matthias Arenz. The results have been published in Nature Materials. The study is an international collaboration between the DCB and, among others, the University of Copenhagen and the Leibniz Institute for Plasma Science and Technology, which also used the Swiss Light Source (SLS) infrastructure at the Paul Scherrer Institute.

The fuel cell - direct power generation without combustion

In a hydrogen fuel cell, hydrogen atoms are split to generate electrical power directly from them. For this purpose, hydrogen is fed to an electrode, where it is split into positively charged protons and negatively charged electrons. The electrons flow off via the electrode and generate electric current outside the cell, which drives a vehicle engine, for example. The protons pass through a membrane that is only permeable to protons and react on the other side on a second electrode coated with a catalyst (here from a platinum-cobalt alloy network) with oxygen from the air, thus producing water vapor. This is discharged via the "exhaust".

The important role of the electrocatalyst

For the fuel cell to produce electricity, both electrodes must be coated with a catalyst. Without a catalyst, the chemical reactions would proceed very slowly. This applies in particular to the second electrode, the oxygen electrode. However, the platinum-cobalt nanoparticles of the catalyst can "melt together" during operation in a vehicle. This reduces the surface of the catalyst and therefore the efficiency of the cell. In addition, the carbon normally used to fix the catalyst can corrode when used in road traffic. This affects the service life of the fuel cell and consequently the vehicle. "Our motivation was therefore to produce an electrocatalyst without a carbon carrier that is nevertheless powerful," explains Matthias Arenz. Previous, similar catalysts without a carrier material always only had a reduced surface area. Since the size of the surface area is crucial for the catalyst's activity and hence its performance, these were less suitable for industrial use.

Industrially applicable technology

The researchers were able to turn the idea into reality thanks to a special process called cathode sputtering. With this method, a material's individual (here platinum or cobalt) are dissolved (atomized) by bombardment with ions. The released gaseous atoms then condense as an adhesive layer. "With the special sputtering process and subsequent treatment, a very porous structure can be achieved, which gives the catalyst a high surface area and is self-supporting at the same time. A carbon carrier is therefore superfluous," says Dr. Gustav Sievers, lead author of the study from the Leibniz Institute for Plasma Science and Technology.

"This technology is industrially scalable and can therefore also be used for larger production volumes, for example in the automotive industry," says Matthias Arenz. This process allows the hydrogen fuel cell to be further optimized for use in road traffic. "Our findings are consequently of importance for the further development of sustainable energy use, especially in view of the current developments in the mobility sector for heavy goods vehicles," says Arenz.

https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2020-08/uob-fcf082420.php

A research team from the Technical University of Munich (TUM) led by chemist Johannes Lercher has developed a synthesis process which drastically increases the activity of catalysts for the desulfurization of crude oil. The new process could perhaps also be used for catalysts in fuel cells.

Crude oil contains a great deal of sulfur. To turn the crude oil into fuel, the sulfur compounds must be removed using hydrogen. Experts call this process hydrotreating. The process is carried out using catalysts.

Under the leadership of Prof. Johannes Lercher and Dr Hui Shi, a team of researchers at the Professorship of Chemical Technology at the Technical University of Munich have now developed a process to increase the activity of these catalysts many times over by treating the catalytically active metal sulfides with concentrated hydrochloric acid beforehand.

Important for the environment

Hydrotreating is one of the most important catalytic processes - both with regard to the quantity of catalyst used and the quantity of processed raw material. With highly pressurized hydrogen, impurities such as sulfur or nitrogen compounds are removed from the crude oil as completely as possible.

"These kinds of impurities would later combust to form sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides, which would result in negative effects on the environment especially the air quality," says Manuel Wagenhofer, first author of the study. In addition, sulfur and nitrogen compounds would also damage precious metals in catalytic converters in modern vehicles, and drastically reduce their effectiveness.

An amazing effect of hydrochloric acid

The TUM chemists examined such mixed metal sulfide catalysts for their effectiveness in hydrotreating by first synthesizing nickel molybdenum sulfides over several process stages, and then treating them with acid.

"It was amazing how much adding concentrated hydrochloric acid increased the catalytic performance," says Wagenhofer. "Hydrochloric acid improves the accessibility of active centers in the catalysts by removing less active components, mainly nickel sulfides. Purer, and therefore more active, mixed metal sulfides are formed."

Great advantages for fundamental research

The TUM chemists' results are also very important for fundamental research. The purified mixed metal sulfides are also easier to examine, scientifically.

"For example, we were able to identify and quantify active centers on the catalysts that were treated in this way," explains Lercher. "This was only possible because the surface was no longer covered in nickel sulfide."

In principle, the acid treatment could apparently be used as an investigation instrument for a series of similar catalysts, to optimize these, for example, for use with oils from renewable raw materials which are to be transformed into climate-friendly fuels in the future via a refining process.

"If we understand mixed metal sulfide catalysts better, we can perhaps improve them considerably for use in other important fields of the future, such as water electrolysis or hydrogen fuel cells," says Johannes Lercher.

Publication:

Enhancing hydrogenation activity of Ni-Mo sulfide hydrodesulfurization catalysts.
Manuel F. Wagenhofer, Hui Shi, Oliver Y. Gutierrez, Andreas Jentys, Johannes A. Lercher.
Science Advances 2020, Vol. 6, no. 19, eaax5331, DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aax5331
https://advances.sciencemag.org/content/6/19/eaax5331

More information:

Parts of this work were funded by Chevron Energy Technology Company and the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) in the framework of the MatDynamics joint project. X-ray absorption spectrums were recorded at the PETRA III Synchrotron source of the German Electron Synchrotron (DESY) in Hamburg.

Contact:

Prof. Dr. Johannes A. Lercher
Professorship of Chemical Technology and Catalysis Research Center
Technical University of Munich
Lichtenbergstr. 4, 85748 Garching, Germany
Tel.: +49 89 289 13540 - E-Mail: johannes.lercher@ch.tum.de

https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2020-08/tuom-hab082520.php

Isuzu Motors Limited and Honda R&D Co. Ltd, a research-and-development subsidiary of Honda Motor Co. Ltd., today signed an agreement to undertake joint research on heavy-duty trucks, utilizing fuel cells (FC) as the powertrain.

Today, the automobile industry is facing demand to reduce exhaust gas/carbon emissions from mobility products in order to address the ongoing global challenge of reducing humanity’s environmental footprint. Moreover, from the perspective of energy security, the industry is required to take initiatives to promote utilization of renewable energy.

Under these circumstances, as a commercial vehicle manufacturer committed to support transportation, Isuzu has been striving to promote the utilization of low-carbon and sustainable energy.

To that end, Isuzu has been researching and developing various powertrains including clean diesel engine, engines for natural gas vehicles (NGVs) and electric vehicle (EV) powertrains, which accommodate a broad range of customer needs and how vehicles are used. In parallel, Honda has been working toward the realization of a carbon-free society and, to this end, in addition to hybrid and battery electric vehicles, Honda has been researching and developing fuel cell vehicles (FCVs), the ultimate environmental technology, for more than 30 years.

There are still some issues that need to be addressed to popularize the use of FC and hydrogen energy, including issues related to cost and infrastructure. These issues need to be tackled not only by individual companies but more expansively through industry-wide initiatives. Against this backdrop, Isuzu was striving to expand its lineup of next-generation powertrains for heavy-duty trucks, and Honda was striving to expand application of its FC technologies beyond use for passenger vehicles, which will represent progress toward the realization of a hydrogen society. Sharing the same technological research goals, the two companies reached an agreement to conduct joint research on heavy-duty FC trucks.

Taking advantage of the respective strengths each company has amassed over a long period of time, that is, Isuzu’s strengths in the development of heavy-duty trucks and Honda’s strengths in the development of FC, the two companies will strive to establish the foundation for basic technologies such as FC powertrain and vehicle control technologies. Moreover, through this joint research, Isuzu and Honda will not only realize clean, low-noise, low-vibration heavy-duty trucks customers are waiting for, but also promote expansive discussions by the industry so that the use of FC trucks and hydrogen energy can contribute to the future prosperity of the logistics industry and all other industries in our society and to the early realization of hydrogen society.

https://www.manilatimes.net/2020/08/25/weekly/fast-times/isuzu-and-honda-sign-to-develop-fuel-cell-powered-heavy-duty-trucks/758946/

- Power Systems establishes new company division for technology development

- Emphasis on the decarbonisation of drive, propulsion and energy systems

- Fuel cell systems have been newly added to the portfolio

Rolls-Royce with its Power Systems business has set up a new organisational unit ’Power Lab’ to focus on innovative and net zero carbon drive and energy solutions. The Power Lab will concentrate on the development of cutting-edge technologies for the marine and infrastructure sectors, with a strong emphasis on fuel cell systems and the production and deployment of synthetic fuels.

“We’ve made it our mission to leverage the trends we’re seeing in our markets by creating the new drive and energy solutions our customers are looking for which support a climate-neutral future. Therefore, it is essential that the development of our product portfolio is centered on new technologies which enable this future,” said Andreas Schell, CEO of Rolls-Royce Power Systems. “The Power Lab is an important milestone on the path we’re taking.”

Partnerships and technological openness key to winning new markets

Rolls-Royce’s new organisational unit is headed by Dr Peter Riegger, who previously led the Research & Technology division; he sees a willingness to embrace new technologies as the key to success. “Our research engineers now have more technological freedom to develop new ideas and refine them in cooperation with customers and partners.” In this respect, long-term partnerships nurturing the development of technologies and capabilities will play a crucial role in enabling new markets to be captured.

Agenda includes production and use of renewables-based fuels

One of the new technologies on the Power Lab’s agenda involves producing and deploying fuels based on renewable energies (Power-to-X). “Synthetic fuels can support the net zero carbon operation of both today’s existing drive and energy systems and those of the future, in addition to enabling the storage of renewables-based energies. We believe in this technology and are keen to endorse its development in collaborations and research projects,” explained Dr Arne Schneemann, responsible for pre-development in the Power Lab team.

Dr Daniel Chatterjee oversees Technology Management and Regulatory Affairs in the Power Lab and also drives the company’s Green and High-Tech Program. “We’re placing the emphasis on improved efficiencies, alternative fuels, electrification, digitalization and integrated system solutions with the aim of continually enhancing the eco-friendliness of our drive and energy systems and bringing them closer to their CO2 neutrality”, he said.

Fuel cell technology for marine propulsion and power generation

The Power Lab has also set its sights on the use of fuel cells in power generation and marine propulsion. “In terms of overall efficiency, the fuel cell is the undisputed front-runner and on top of that generates ultra-low to zero emissions,” said Dr Philippe Gorse, whose team is responsible for conceptual work on the fuel cell in the Power Lab. “That makes it a highly attractive option for contributing to the decarbonisation of drive systems and power generation.”

Through its Power Systems business, Rolls-Royce is also cooperating with Daimler Truck AG on developing carbon neutral fuel cell systems for supplying emergency power to mission-critical applications such as data centers and for covering peak loads. Since the end of last year, the partnership has been looking at taking fuel cell modules used in automobile production to create a demonstrator that will contribute to the power requirement of Rolls-Royce facilities in Friedrichshafen. This will support a further partnership’s aim of using fuel cell modules in development for driving commercial vehicles for other applications such as stationary power plants.

Press photos are available for download from https://www.mtu-solutions.com/eu/en/news-and-media/media-center.html

About Rolls-Royce Holdings plc

1. Rolls-Royce pioneers cutting-edge technologies that deliver clean, safe and competitive solutions to meet our planet’s vital power needs.
2. Rolls-Royce Power Systems is headquartered in Friedrichshafen in southern Germany and employs more than 10,000 people. The product portfolio includes MTU-brand high-speed engines and propulsion systems for ships, power generation, heavy land, rail and defence vehicles and for the oil and gas industry as well as diesel and gas systems and battery containers for mission critical, standby and continuous power, combined generation of heat and power, and microgrids. Medium-speed engines from Bergen power ships and power generation applications.
3. Rolls-Royce has customers in more than 150 countries, comprising more than 400 airlines and leasing customers, 160 armed forces, 70 navies, and more than 5,000 power and nuclear customers.
4. Annual underlying revenue was £15.45 billion in 2019, around half of which came from the provision of aftermarket services.
5. In 2019, Rolls-Royce invested £1.46 billion on research and development. We also support a global network of 29 University Technology Centres, which position Rolls-Royce engineers at the forefront of scientific research.

https://www.webwire.com/ViewPressRel.asp?aId=263133

f you are interested in energy and climate news, you’ve probably noticed a significant uptick in headlines featuring hydrogen as a potential replacement for fossil fuels. Lately, I’m seeing many new reports and headlines that point to hydrogen’s potential for revolutionizing many industries, through applications like fuel cell vehicles, precious metals refining, synthetic fuels and even shipyard construction.

But what many of these stories miss—and what a new study from the Energy Options Network (EON) shows—is how nuclear energy might be the best way to make green hydrogen without carbon emissions. This is just another reason nuclear energy is important for any climate solution.

If hydrogen can be produced without carbon emissions, it can play an important role in decarbonizing much of the economy including the transportation and industrial sectors. For that reason, it enjoys near-universal support.

In fact, recent interest in hydrogen has skyrocketed.

The U.S. Department of Energy announced $64 million of funding to demonstrate large-scale hydrogen production, storage and distribution through its H2@Scale program. The European Union highlighted the importance of hydrogen as a pathway to a carbon-neutral Europe by laying out an investment agenda to scale up hydrogen production with renewable energy and launching the European Clean Hydrogen Alliance to support these investments. Additionally, Axios reports that of the $54 billion in approved funding for clean energy around the world, 19 percent is for hydrogen.

“I have rarely seen, if ever, any technology that enjoys so much political backing around the world. Countries who have completely different views on energy and climate all join in saying that hydrogen is a key clean energy technology,” said International Energy Agency director Fatih Birol.

As hydrogen production has grown in popularity, so has the term “green hydrogen,” which refers to using renewable sources to produce hydrogen. This mirrors mandates and pledges we see to drive down emissions in our energy sector through wind, solar and other carbon-free technologies.

But what is discounted most often is the role that nuclear energy should have in this exciting new market. According to EON’s study, nuclear can also serve as the cheapest carbon-free source for hydrogen fuel and be economically competitive with natural gas—which is the leading method for making hydrogen currently—if used on a large scale.

“An inherent advantage over technologies that only produce electricity (like wind and [photovoltaic solar]) is nuclear’s capacity to produce both electricity and heat, affording it the ability to take advantage of all hydrogen production technology options,” the study states.

Today’s hydrogen market already exceeds $100 billion and is expected to grow significantly. This market represents an opportunity for current and new nuclear plants alike. Nuclear plants currently operating could continue to produce carbon-free power. And new reactors could attract investment by having customers and a market already lined up.

"In my view, hydrogen is today where solar was 10 years ago,” said Birol.

According to EON’s study, meeting the energy demands of the maritime transportation industry by 2050 from nuclear power alone “would require as much as 650 gigawatts of advanced nuclear reactors” for hydrogen production.

The 650 gigawatts needed for this portion of the transportation sector alone is more than six times the capacity of all nuclear plants in the United States, so in other words it’s big. Wind and solar will play a major role in providing hydrogen too, but that’s still a huge opportunity for the nuclear industry.

  Today, we are in search of solutions to drive down carbon emissions. Already, nuclear energy comprises nearly 55 percent of the carbon-free energy in the United States and is viewed as a key part of any viable climate solution. The potential for a nuclear and hydrogen partnership is a natural fit and worthy of future investments.

Using all available carbon-free sources, including nuclear, for hydrogen production will be game-changing. Carbon-free hydrogen powered by nuclear energy can reduce carbon emissions even more, protecting our climate while fueling the future transportation and industrial sectors.   

https://www.nei.org/news/2020/why-hydrogen-great-partner-nuclear-energy-planet