Graphene May Improve Fuel Cells

[ionbasa]

Graphene, impermeable to all gases and liquids, can easily allow protons to pass through it, University of Manchester researchers have found.

Published in the journal Nature, the discovery could revolutionize fuel cells and other hydrogen-based technologies as they require a barrier that only allow protons - hydrogen atoms stripped off their electrons - to pass through.

 

http://phys.org/news/2014-11-protons-fuel-graphene-prospects.html

 

This quality could be utilized in the future to create graphene membranes that could "sieve" hydrogen gas directly out of the air to be used to generate electricity, the researchers say.

"We are very excited about this result because it opens a whole new area of promising applications for graphene in clean energy harvesting and hydrogen-based technologies," says a co-researcher in Geim's study, Marcelo Lozada-Hidalgo.

Graphene, at a carbon atom thick, is 200 times as strong weight-for-weight as steel.

Its impermeability to atoms of any gas or liquid has made it a candidate for use in impermeable packaging and corrosion-proof coating.

Although even the smallest atoms cannot pass through graphene, Geim and his researchers suspected that protons -- hydrogen atoms that have been stripped of their electrons -- might find a way through.

http://www.techtimes.com/articles/21053/20141126/graphenes-weak-spot-may-help-fuel-cells.htm

 

This is exciting news, it may actually make fuel cell technology practical in a decade or two. Basically, Graphene allows for protons (H+) to pass through its lattice. So graphene may eventually make the efficiency of fuel cells skyrocket. Of course, this was done only at a small scale, but researchers believe that the same concept can be applied to a large scale product. It would be interesting to say the least, imagine 20 years from now, our smartphones might be self charging, by only grabbing hydrogen directly out of the air. The applications are endless. Imagine electric vehicles that only use the hydrogen from the air. It would be a while before we see anything that revolutionary, but at least we're exploring graphene's endless possibilities. This is the material that will revolutionize the 21 century (In my opinion).

[ZetZet]

We know. Just graphene is closer to theory at the moment.

[ionbasa]

We know. Just graphene is closer to theory at the moment.

Well, considering they were able to do it in a lab environment, that isn't so much theory, but already an tested application. One of the articles also mentions that currently graphene can be made in 1 square meter sheets. We just need to get mass fabrication out of the way.

[Glenwing]

Somehow, I'm not surprised.  Lol.

 

I believe Samsung already demonstrated a viable mass production technique.

(EDIT: http://www.extremetech.com/extreme/179874-samsungs-graphene-breakthrough-could-finally-put-the-wonder-material-into-real-world-devices)

[kacper]

Wasn't it already known?

[ZetZet]

Wasn't it already known?

It was. Now they are trying to figure out how to make massive amounts of graphene.

[LukaP]

 

(H+ atoms) 

 

ions Its not really an ion, its literally just one proton

[kacper]

We need better batteries more than anything . Actually I'm more excited to see graphene batteries than chips .

 

Did any major manufacturer claimed anything about graphene? (ex that they'll be getting it in next xx years or something?)

[That Norwegian Guy]

This would make a great ramscoop for planes and space craft to increase their range.

[LukaP]

We need better batteries more than anything . Actually I'm more excited to see graphene batteries than chips .

 

Did any major manufacturer claimed anything about graphene? (ex that they'll be getting it in next xx years or something?)

Samsung showed a way to grow graphene sheets in an industrial process easily a few months ago

[Mystic Mistro]

ions Its not really an ion, its literally just one proton

I was just about to say the same.. clearly another chemist beat me to it!

[Recon97]

Let the chemistry flow!

Not surprised though.

[LukaP]

I was just about to say the same.. clearly another chemist beat me to it!

physicist*

[ManWithBeard1990]

I like that news. It's good news. When this becomes mainstream it will drive the cost of fuel cells down as precious metals are no longer needed.

[Tonylu1595]

One of those moments when the black dots in the picture are the exact same space away as my scroll distance so it looks like the picture is moving when I scroll down. Very nice.

[ionbasa]

ions Its not really an ion, its literally just one proton

I never said it was an ion, H+ is the way to represent a proton, I never called it hydronium, which is the H+ ion, I said H+ (atom), which I should probably replace (atom) with (proton). It was early in the morning why I typed this out.

[felixthemaster1]

physicist*

I did all this stuff in chemistry though. It's more chemistry.

[LukaP]

I did all this stuff in chemistry though. It's more chemistry.

you see, chemistry and physics are just a different language for the same science

[felixthemaster1]

you see, chemistry and physics are just a different language for the same science

That is true. To be fair, all the sciences have merging areas. I'm not saying you're wrong, I'm saying IMO its more in the Chem area, is all. But hey, what do I know.

[rashdanml]

Could potentially make fuel cells a fair bit thinner, since current current PEM's are on the order of 100 microns. Thinner cells would make the entire fuel cell stack (typically 100s of cells stacked together) smaller, and perhaps lighter. 

 

Still, the cost of fuel cells has a lot of other factors, and graphene will add to that until it can be mass-produced economically. 

[ZetZet]

you see, chemistry and physics are just a different language for the same science

 

I did all this stuff in chemistry though. It's more chemistry.

Chemistry is a branch of physical science that studies the composition, structure, properties and change of matter. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chemistry) It's physics.

[Bsmith]

yeah, real science, now let's get it practical where other things failed to become practical or went to a other(not intended) direction.

 

useless side fact:

Kevlar was the result of experiments to find a replacement for rubber tires.

[LukaP]

yeah, real science, now let's get it practical where other things failed to become practical or went to a other(not intended) direction.

 

useless side fact:

Kevlar was the result of experiments to find a replacement for rubber tires.

not everything in science is meant to be practical. atleast not in the near future. but everything we do, every discovery we make, will be useful, somehow, one day, i guarantee you

[Mystic Mistro]

physicist*

oh... your one of those  

I figure we can be friends on this occasion purely because we both corrected someone else rather than either other  

[Mystic Mistro]

Chemistry is a branch of physical science that studies the composition, structure, properties and change of matter. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chemistry) It's physics.

completely disagree....

 

Science it essentially 3 subject:

 

Chemistry

Physic 

Biology 

 

which all overlap each other in often more than one fashion, is often how your looking at something to which section it falls into.

although they blend and close over at times they are different and individual in their own right. none of them are a sub-set of another.