Center for Advanced MaterialsUniversity of HoustonNASA Research Partnership Center
CAM
Thin Film Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Storage Materials for Solar Energy
Application
Alex Ignatiev1,2, Ainur Issova2, Mukhtar Eleuov2
1 Center for Advanced Materials
University of Houston,
Houston, TX 77204-5004
2 Institute for Physics and Technology
Almaty, Kazakhstan
Almaty, 2011
Center for Advanced MaterialsUniversity of HoustonNASA Research Partnership Center
CAM
Solar Energy Utilization
• Sunlight Required
• Energy Storage Needed for Nighttime and Cloudy Operation
• Store Energy in Hydrogen..• Electrolyze Water
• Utilize Hydrogen Fuel Efficiently
Center for Advanced MaterialsUniversity of HoustonNASA Research Partnership Center
CAM
• Liquid • Cold – 22K• 5 wt% - Adequate• EXPENSIVE…..
Hydrogen Storage Options
• Gas• High Pressure- 200-500 bar• 2-3 wt% - Too Little Hydrogen• High Pressure Danger
• Hydrides
• ~ 1 wt% - Too Little Hydrogen in Cycle
Center for Advanced MaterialsUniversity of HoustonNASA Research Partnership Center
CAM
Volume for Storage of 5 kg H2 in Different States (Equivalent to 20 L Gasoline)
No Effective way of Storing Hydrogen…..• Polymer Nanostructures…. ??
Center for Advanced MaterialsUniversity of HoustonNASA Research Partnership Center
CAM
Nanostructured Polymers
• Polyanaline Nanotubes
• Conducting Polymers
• Nanotube pores
• High surface area
Polyaniline Nanotubes
Center for Advanced MaterialsUniversity of HoustonNASA Research Partnership Center
CAM
• PANI 2.5-3 wt% H2 Uptake
•Tested to 12+ Cycles-no deg
Polyaniline (PANI) Charge & Discharge
• Charge at 300psi for 2 hours
• Multiple Charge – Discharge Cycles
• Mass Spectrometer Read-out
• Good Hydrogen Storage and Cycling
20 40 60 80 100 120 140
0.01.0x10-72.0x10-73.0x10-74.0x10-75.0x10-76.0x10-77.0x10-78.0x10-79.0x10-71.0x10-61.1x10-61.2x10-6
Discharged E
Charged ECharged A
Discharged D
Discharged B
Discharged A
Charged D
Charged B
To
rr
Temp.o
C
Center for Advanced MaterialsUniversity of HoustonNASA Research Partnership Center
CAM
Volume for Storage of 5 kg H2 in Different States (Equivalent to 20 L Gasoline)
Polyaniline
Polyaniline - Promising Hydrogen Storage System
Center for Advanced MaterialsUniversity of HoustonNASA Research Partnership Center
CAM
Efficient Use of Hydrogen Fuel
Hydrogen for Transportation
• Internal Combustion Engine
• Not Use – Explosive Reaction
• Still form NOx
• Use Fuel Cell
• Electrochemical Reaction
• OK - No NOx formed…..
• Only WATER….
Center for Advanced MaterialsUniversity of HoustonNASA Research Partnership Center
CAM
What is a Fuel Cell?A device that generates electricity by combining fuel and oxygen in an electrochemical reaction.
Advantages
• High energy conversion efficiency
• Minimal environmental impact
• Stackable to reach very high power output
• Reduced noise level
1/2O2
H2O2e- Fuel
Oxidant
Anode
Electrolyte
Cathode
2e-
O2-
O2-
O2-
H2
Center for Advanced MaterialsUniversity of HoustonNASA Research Partnership Center
CAM
Solid Oxide Fuel Cell
• Hydrogen and oxygen reactants
• ZrO3 electrolyte
• Nickel anode
• Operating temperature is 900-1000°C
• Encapsulation materials challenges
• High materials costs
But, High Efficiency > 60%
• High market cost
• How to Reduce market cost …. ??
Center for Advanced MaterialsUniversity of HoustonNASA Research Partnership Center
CAM
Apply Thin Film Materials Expertise to SOFC Challenges
• Develop New Design: Thin Film Solid Oxide Fuel Cell
• Thin Film Heterostructure Design
- Thin electrolyte- lower temperature operation
- Atomically ordered films/interfaces- lower resistance
• Microelectronics Processing - Economies of Scale
• Lower Fabrication Cost
• Smaller Size
• Lower Cost
Center for Advanced MaterialsUniversity of HoustonNASA Research Partnership Center
CAM
Thin Film SOFC Heterostructure Growth
• Thin Film Atomically Ordered YSZ Electrolyte
• Reduce Internal Defects
• Reduce Interface Defects
Target
Plume
Beam
VacuumChamber
Substrate
Heater
Excimer
Laser
FocusLens
Oxygen
Target
Plume
Beam
VacuumChamber
Substrate
Heater
Excimer
Laser
FocusLens
Oxygen
Epitaxial Growth
• Pulsed Laser Deposition of Epitaxial YSZ Film
on Crystalline Nickel Foil Substrate
Center for Advanced MaterialsUniversity of HoustonNASA Research Partnership Center
CAM
Thin Film Heterostructure Solid Oxide Fuel Cell
Total Cell Thickness
~ 20-25 m thick
Porous LaSrCoO3 Cathode ~ 1 m thick
Yttria Stabilized Zirconia Thin Film Electrolyte
~ 0.1 - 1 m thick
Nickel Anode~20m thick
Fuel
Oxygen/Air
Ni Foil Anode NOT Porous
Center for Advanced MaterialsUniversity of HoustonNASA Research Partnership Center
CAM
• Electrochemically Etched Nickel Anode
• 60 m Etched Pores
•Nickel Side Electro-etch
Ni Porosity - Microelectronics Photolithography / Etching
Center for Advanced MaterialsUniversity of HoustonNASA Research Partnership Center
CAM
TFSOFC I vs. V as a Function of Temperature
Hydrogen / Air - Polycrystalline Single Cell
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 350.0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1.0
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 350 5 10 15 20 25 30 350.0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1.0
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 350 5 10 15 20 25 30 350.0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1.0
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 350 5 10 15 20 25 30 350.0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1.0
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 350
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
110
120
480oC
I (mA)
P (
mW
/cm
2 )
570oC
V (
V)
I (mA)
555oC
I (mA)
520oC
I (mA)
Thin Film Micro SOFC
Center for Advanced MaterialsUniversity of HoustonNASA Research Partnership Center
CAM
• Solid Oxide Fuel Cells Have Nickel Anodes
• Nickel Excellent Catalyst for Hydrocarbon Reduction
• BUT…….‘Coking’ at High Temperatures…. > 600 C
Thin Film Heterostructure SOFC Advancement
• However… Micro Fuel Cell Operates at 500 C – NO Coking…!
• Hydrocarbon Fuel Operation at ~60% Efficiency….
• Methane/Methanol
• Ethane/Ethanol
Center for Advanced MaterialsUniversity of HoustonNASA Research Partnership Center
CAM
Thin Film Fuel Cell Stack
• Require ~ 100V to 200V Operation• Series Connection of Cell Elements
• Interconnect Required
• Stack Individual Cells Together in Series
• Work in Collaboration with Institute for Physics and Technology, Almaty
• Advance Technology• Finalize Product•Technology Transfer• Economic Growth
Center for Advanced MaterialsUniversity of HoustonNASA Research Partnership Center
CAM
Thin Film Fuel Cell Stack Components
Cell Element
Oxidant Flow
Fuel Flow
Interconnect
Center for Advanced MaterialsUniversity of HoustonNASA Research Partnership Center
CAM
Fuel Cell Stack Design (In Progress)
TFSOFC Micro-patterned Interconnect
cathode
electrolyte
anode
Fuel flow
Oxidant flow
Thin Film Heterostructure SOFC Advancement
Projected > 5W/cm3 at ~500oC
Center for Advanced MaterialsUniversity of HoustonNASA Research Partnership Center
CAM
Summary• A New Thin Film Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Design
• Efficient, Clean, Compact and Cost Efficient
• Low Temperature Operation
• Direct Use of Hydrocarbon Fuel
• Natural Gas
• Hydrogen from Dissociation of Water…????
Distributed EnergyAutomotive Energy
Strategy for Efficient, Clean Electrical Energy Generation