Eco Factor: New glass seal makes solid oxide fuel cells more efficient.
Scientists from all over the world are attempting to innovate ways to harness alternative sources of energy. However, researchers at Virginia Tech are looking ahead to make fuel cells better so that energy harnessed from alternative sources could be utilized in a more efficient way. After continuous and extensive efforts, the researchers claim to have come up with solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs).
Ceramic material enables these SOFCs to operate at temperatures as high as 1,800 degrees Fahrenheit and this high temperature is used to split oxygen from air. The ions passing through the crystal lattice oxidizes fuel and the electrons generated from the reaction flow through external circuit and create electricity. Peizhen (Kathy) Lu, assistant professor of materials science and engineering at Virginia Tech, has invented a new glass that will be used to seal the SOFC modules stacked together.
In the words of Mike Miller, senior licensing manager with Virginia Tech Intellectual Properties:
The invented glass seal materials are free of barium oxide, calcium oxide, magnesia, and alkali oxides, and in addition contain almost imperceptibly low amounts of boron oxide. This is important because the seals must be both mechanically and chemically compatible with the different oxide and metallic cell components as they are repeatedly cycled between room and operating temperatures.
These new SOFCs are promising enough for every kind of stationary and mobile applications such as to power plants, energy for ships at sea and in space, and for automobiles etc. Further, SOFCs will enable power generation and hydrogen production in large quantity at a much lower cost.
Via: ScienceDaily
