Researchers from the University of Aberdeen have reported that a new family of chemical compounds known as 'hexagonal perovskites' could be extremely beneficial for ceramic fuel cell technology and reducing global carbon emissions.
Ceramic fuel cells are highly efficient devices that convert chemical energy into electrical energy and produce very low emissions if powered by hydrogen, providing a clean alternative to fossil fuels. Another advantage of ceramic fuel cells is that they can also use hydrocarbon fuels such as methane, meaning they can act as a 'bridging' technology which is an important asset in terms of the move away from hydrocarbons towards cleaner energy sources.
The University of Aberdeen scientists have been researching the potential for a new compound that might overcome these issues for a number of years, and the discovery of a new chemical compound ' which exhibits high conductivity at lower temperatures ' marks a major breakthrough.
Professor Abbie McLaughlin, Director of Research in the University's Department of Chemistry who led the study, explained: 'Ceramic fuel cells are highly efficient, but the problem is they operate at really high temperatures, above 800 °C. Because of that they have a short lifespan and use expensive components... For a number of years we've been looking for compounds that might overcome these issues in the relatively unexplored hexagonal perovskite family, but there are specific chemical features required which are hard to find in combination. For example, you need a chemical compound with very little electronic conductivity which is stable in both the hydrogen and oxygen environments of the fuel cell".
'What we have discovered here is a dual proton and oxide ion conductor that will operate successfully at a lower temperature ' around 500 °C ' which solves these problems. You could say that we've found the needle in a haystack that can unlock the full potential of this technology.'
