© Robert Rathe
A
new imaging facility at the NIST Center for Neutron Research provides
a rare portal for visualizing water and hydrogen transport in fuel
cells. Neutrons reveal how water forms and moves while a fuel cell
is operating. Mastering the combined challenge of managing incoming
humidity, proper hydration of fuel cell membranes, and the handling
of water byproducts is essential to the development of fuel cells
that are practical for automotive and residential applications as
well as portable devices.
|
Innovation.
Engineering data. Performance standards. NIST works with industry in many
"high tech" fields to achieve these goals, and hydrogen research,
including fuel cells powered by hydrogen, is no exception. Indeed, NIST
has been a leading provider of data on the chemical and physical properties
of hydrogen for more than 50 years.
There is much discussion these
days of the "hydrogen economy"—using domestic sources
of energy to create hydrogen gas, which in turn, could be used as a transportation
fuel. Other possibilities include using hydrogen-bearing fuels such as
alcohol or natural gas as potentially economical and long-lasting sources
of electrical power for portable electronics such as cell phones and laptop
computers, or even for powering buildings remote from power lines.
Many technical and economic
hurdles remain before these technologies can be made widely available.
Reducing costs, improving efficiencies, and making the technology reliable
enough for everyday use will all be important. If these technical goals
are achieved, the broad use of hydrogen as a fuel may prove to have environmental
advantages as well.
NIST research helps support
this developing technology in many ways. Projects currently under way
at NIST or co-funded by NIST's Advanced Technology Program are providing
measurements, data, and technologies needed to develop and test the performance
of hydrogen-based power sources and to improve the efficiency of hydrogen
production methods. The links below provide descriptions of some of these
projects.
Hydrogen Data Links
Weights and Measures
Thermophysical
Properties of Hydrogen
Elemental
Hydrogen Data
Energy
Levels of Hydrogen and Deuterium
Electron
Impact Ionization Cross Sections for Molecular Hydrogen
Fuel Cell Links
A
New Neutron Imaging Facility at BT-6 for the Non-Destructive Analysis
of Working Fuel Cells
Ethylene Suggested for Hydrogen Storage
Fuel
Cell Imaging
Fuel Cell Membranes (.pdf;
download Acrobat Reader)
Hydrogen Pipeline Safety (.pdf;
download Acrobat Reader)
Hydrogen Storage (.pdf;
download Acrobat Reader)
Improved Ion Mobility Is Key to New Hydrogen Storage Compound
Materials Codes & Standards for H2 Distribution (.pdf;
download Acrobat Reader)
'Metal-Decorated'
Nanotubes Hold Promise for Fuel Cells
More Solid than Solid: A Potential Hydrogen-Storage Compound
Nano-Cages
‘Fill Up’ with Hydrogen
Oxygen Ions for Fuel Cells Get Loose at Low(er) Temperatures
Publications
from NIST Building and Fire Research Laboratory Concerning Fuel Cells
R&D Priorities for Future Manufacturing
Residential
Fuel Cell Performance Evaluation Program
Workshop on Test Procedures for Materials for Hydrogen Pipelines (August, 2007)
Fuel Cell Related Advanced
Technology Projects
(co-funded by NIST)
Overview
of Advanced Technology Fuel Cell Projects (.pdf;
download Acrobat Reader)
Advanced
Magnesium Alloys Production Process (AMAPP)
Application
of Molecular Gate (TM) Technology to Oxygen Enrichment of Air Streams
and Simplified Purification of Natural Gas
Compact
Pure Hydrogen Generation Systems for PEM Fuel Cell Applications
Development
of High Volume Digital Manufacturing of Membrane Electrode Assemblies
for Fuel Cells
Development
of a Highly Reliable and Low Cost Fuel Processing System for Stationary
PEM Fuel Cell Applications
Direct
Fuel Power Module
Distributed
Premium Power Fuel Cell Systems Incorporating Novel Materials and Assembly
Techniques
Elevated-Temperature,
Reformate-Tolerant Membrane Electrode Assemblies (MEAs) for Polymer Electrolyte
Fuel Cells
Enhancing
the Performance of Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cells
Fabrication
of Fuel Cells from Microcell Fibers
"Free
Standing" Single-Wall Carbon-Nanotube Fuel Cell Electrode
High
Density, Scalable, Mass-Manufacturable Semiconductor Fuel Cell
High-Power-Density
Solid Oxide Fuel Cells for Aerospace Applications
High-Temperature
Hydrogen Selective Membrane Platforms
Hybrid
Ultracapacitor/Methanol Fuel Cell Power Packs for Portable Electronics
Hydrogen
Generator for a Miniature Fuel-Cell Power Source
Integrated
Hybrid DMFC/EC Capacitor Powerpack
Integrated
Planar Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Stack Development
Low
Cost Fuel Cell System Technologies Development
Micro
Solid Oxide Fuel Based Power Supplies for Handheld Electronics
Modular
2KVA Fuel Cell Power Plant with Live Replaceable, Self-Hydrating, PEM
Smart Cartridges
New
Routes to Ultra-Low-Cost Solar-Grade Silicon for Renewable Energy Generation
Porous
Silicon Electrode All Liquid Fuel Cells
Preparation
and Fundamental Evaluation of Catalytic Materials for Energy Applications
Propane-Fueled
Fuel Cell Power System for Telecommunications Applications
Reduced-Temperature,
Electrode-Supported, Planar (RTESP) Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC) System
for Premium Power Applications
Scalable
Planar Solid-Oxide Fuel Cell Technology for Beyond 200kW
Self-Propagating
High-Temperature Synthesis of Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Cathode Material
Small-Scale
Hydrogen Generation via Aqueous-Phase Carbohydrate Reforming
Small,
Ultra Efficient Fuel Cell Systems
Solid
Oxide Fuel Cells (SOFC) Promise to Revolutionize Small-to-Medium-Scale
Power Generation
Other Hydrogen-Related
Publications
Powering Our
High-Speed Economy: A Profile of ATP Energy Investments (.pdf;
download Acrobat Reader)
contact: inquiries@nist.gov
created on 01/20/05
last updated: 07/07/08
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