Researchers at the University of Wuhan, China, have developed a new technology that could go a long way in making fuel cells of the future cheaper.

For those who are wondering what fuel cells are all about, let me explain. Fuel cells provide us the most efficient (not cheapest!) method to convert hydrogen fuel into electricity. The process of generating electricity using fuel cells however is costly - mostly due to the use of expensive catalysts like platinum, which are required to split hydrogen into ions, thus leading to the production of electric current. Why not use cheaper catalysts then, you may ask? Well, the reason is that "normal" catalysts will simply not be able to survive the extremely acidic environment that prevails inside the fuel cell.

A typical fuel cell has two platinum-coated electrodes separated by a polymer membrane "dipped" in an acidic solution, which allows the acidic hydrogen ions to travel from one side of the membrane to the other - generating electricity in the process. The focus of researchers has always been on acidic fuel cells because membranes that work well under acidic conditions have already been developed. A stable hydroxyl-conducting membrane was something everyone was looking forward to. The adoption of such a membrane would nullify the need for precious metal catalysts, a major factor that adds to the cost of fuel cells.

Such an innovative membrane is what Chinese researchers led by Lin Zhuang, a professor of chemistry, have developed. His team has given a demonstration of a fuel cell that uses a completely new membrane designed to work in alkaline conditions, thereby eliminating the need for an expensive catalyst. Zhuang's alkaline fuel cell uses a silver cathode and a nickel anode as catalysts. The nickel catalyst had to be coated with nickel nanoparticles coated with chromium to avoid excessive oxidization, which nickel is prone to.

The new cell thus developed has a power output of about 50 milliwatts per square centimeter at 60 degree Celsius -- a modest output. However, considering this is the very first demonstration of an alkaline fuel cell that does not require expensive metal catalysts, it can be construed as a step in the right direction.

The team of researchers hope that this innovation would help to overcome efficiency and cost-related issues that have been associated with fuel cells.

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