According to its developers at the University of Delaware, the “game-changing” technology is a significant advance for carbon dioxide capture and could bring more environmentally friendly fuel cells closer to market.
Professor Yushan Yan, chair of chemical and biomolecular engineering, has been working for some time to improve hydroxide exchange membrane (HEM) fuel cells, an economical and environmentally friendly alternative to traditional acid-based fuel cells used today.
But the reason HEM fuels cells aren’t on the road as of late is because they are sensitive to carbon dioxide in the air. This defect quickly reduces the fuel cell’s performance and efficiency by up to 20 per cent, rendering the fuel cell no better than a petrol engine.
A few years back, the researchers found this disadvantage might be a solution – for carbon dioxide removal.
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