New Era of Hydrogen Energy
A technology producing electricity from water has been developed, which is expected to make a step closer to the era of environment-friendly hydrogen energy.
Yonsei University announced on August 23 that Dr. Myung Jae-ha, who earned a bachelor's degree in ceramic engineering at Yonsei University and is currently a postdoctoral researcher at University of St. Andrews in the U.K., and the research team led by Professor John Irvine of University of St. Andrews have developed the technology which turns hydrogen energy into electricity with electrochemical methods. The research was published in the scientific journal Nature on the 22nd (U.K. time).
The research team succeeded in producing electricity from hydrogen energy by maximizing the growth of nanoparticle catalysts in ceramics and applying it to “reversible solid oxide cells.” Reversible solid oxide cells can generate electricity without emitting pollutants. However, they operate at the range between 700 to 900 degree Celsius and have had difficulties in producing electricity efficiently and stably.
The research team helped nanoparticle grow itself through the electrochemical process instead of using existing physical and chemical processes. Unlike the physical and chemical processes, which are less stable due to agglomeration between nanoparticles at a high temperature, the electrochemical process can stably generates electricity.
The new technology can also produce five times more electricity than existing electrode materials and mass produce electricity without additional processes, according to the research team.