Fuel cells generate electricity through a chemical reaction instead of combustion.
Hydrogen fuel cells are highly efficient and do not produce greenhouse gases. While hydrogen is the most common chemical element in the universe, it must normally be derived from fossil fuels because it occurs naturally on earth only in compound form with other elements in liquids, gases or solids.
The necessary extraction adds to hydrogen fuel cells’ cost and environmental impact.
In addition, hydrogen used in fuel cells is a compressed gas, which creates challenges for storage and transportation. Ethanol, an alcohol made from corn or other agricultural-based feeds, is safer and easier to transport than hydrogen because it is a liquid.
“To make it a commercial product where we can fill our tanks with ethanol, the electrodes have to be highly efficient,” Lakshman Ventrapragada, one of the…
Turmeric extract combined with gold helps create greener, more efficient fuel cells
