Russian and Chinese scientists have jointly developed innovative technology that significantly improves the efficiency of hydrogen fuel cells. This discovery could accelerate the transition to clean energy sources and make hydrogen energy more accessible.
Specialists from the Institute of General and Inorganic Chemistry named after N.S. Kurnakov RAS together with colleagues from the National Research University Higher School of Economics, Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University and the Chinese University named after Sun Yat-sen made an important discovery in the field of hydrogen energy. They have found a way to improve the stability of a key component of fuel cells – proton-conducting membranes.
Hydrogen fuel cells are considered a promising replacement for traditional internal combustion engines. They can be used in various types of transport – from cars to heavy equipment. The main problem until now has been the fragility of these elements, which has limited their widespread use.
A Russian-Chinese research group proposed an original solution – treating membranes with fluorine. This method allows you to increase the chemical stability of materials and protect them from destruction. Laboratory tests have shown impressive results: the new membranes not only match the characteristics of foreign analogues, but also exceed them in power by 20%.
This achievement is of great practical importance. Increasing the service life of fuel cells will reduce the cost of energy produced and make hydrogen technologies more competitive. The development is especially important for the development of heavy transport and industrial enterprises, where the transition to clean energy has previously been difficult due to technical limitations.
Cooperation between Russia and China in the field of hydrogen energy continues to strengthen. Both countries are interested in developing alternative energy sources to achieve climate goals and diversify the energy mix. Scientists are planning further joint research to improve the technology and its speedy introduction into production.
The new development opens up prospects for creating more efficient and durable energy systems. This is an important step towards the practical use of hydrogen as a full-fledged source of clean energy in industry and transport.
The material was prepared with the support of the Russian Ministry of Education and Science as part of the Decade of Science and Technology.
Source: @cdutek
