Molecular stimulation enhances the performance of energy cells

Researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison are developing techniques that use molecules as a catalyst for energy cells.

Developing molecular catalysts reduces costs, increases the efficiency of energy cells

This promises to be a new development for battery technology , reducing dependence on expensive, hard-to-produce, solid-state catalysts such as platinum, rhodium or palladium, generating cheap fuel cells. , performance is higher than before.

Fuel cells generate electricity based on chemical reactions between hydrogen and oxygen at two different electrodes. Specifically, any catalyst at the positive electrode will oxidize the hydrogen fuel to produce free electrons and charged ions. The ions will move through the electrolyte while the electrons will move in the conductor, which then supplies the device with electricity. They will then meet again and reconnect with oxygen at the cathode to form water or CO2. And the role of the catalyst here is to make the reaction more efficient.

Previously, a team led by Professor Shannon Stahl at UW-Madison researched the use of oxygen catalysts for use in the chemical industry. Inspired by previous research, the team found a similarity between aerobic and oxidative reactions in fuel cells. Therefore, they seek to apply technological development in the industry to battery manufacturing. Finally, they created a new catalyst, made up of a mixture of molecules called nitroxyl and nitrous oxide to react with electrodes and oxygen.

"Although this catalyst mixture was previously used in aerobic oxidation reactions, we do not yet know that it can play a catalytic role in natural gas," said Stahl. And through research, we finally realized that it was the most effective catalytic molecule ever published. "This study shows for the first time that molecular catalysts can The advantage of this approach is that you can continue to fine-tune the structure for even greater efficiency. "