Increasing worldwide market of portable electronic devices increased the demand for alternate portable power sources. Small-dimensional (from several mm to µm sizes) fuel cell is portable power source for low power electronic devices.
The project will focus on the formation and testing of so far little studied small-dimensional fuel cells with proton conducting electrolytes. The new materials for small-dimensional fuel cell components and their formation technology will be investigated. The use of new hydrogen energy technologies and materials could increase the efficiency on the conversion of chemical energy to electrical, could improve the technical characteristics of low-power electronic devices, and reduce the small-dimensional fuel cell work temperature and materials costs. All these benefits would accelerate the integration of proton conducting fuel cells to the household and industry. Small-dimensional fuel cells with solid state proton conducting oxide electrolytes are still in early research stage. Widely investigated polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell micro (PEMFC) has low efficiency, small-dimensional solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC) operating temperatures are high enough (~ 500 ° C) and this affects the limited and pricy selection of the materials for small-dimensional fuel cell. Solid-state proton conducting oxide electrolytes combines the best polymer electrolyte and solid oxide fuel cells properties.
Small-dimensional fuel cells are usually formed by lithography and etching techniques. The use of lithography together with the etching in the fuel cell formation process is complicated because of frequent violations of fuel cell components during the etching. The project program will provide the complex research studies of proton conducting ceramic small-dimensional fuel cells and their components. It is estimated to use Al2O3 and TiO2 materials for the formation of porous electrodes of micro fuel cells. Different high temperature chemical formation methods will be used: electrochemical anodizing and sol gel synthesis of inorganic precursors. Fuel cell proton conducting electrolyte will be formed using the proton conducting materials as lanthanum and niobium oxides and other similar proton conducting oxide ceramics, which are compatible with the electrode materials. The electrolytes will be formed using innovative physical vapor deposition methods such as reactive magnetron sputtering and electron beam evaporation. The main objective of the project is the research and the formation of effective multifunctional proton conducting ceramic small-dimensional fuel cells and their components (anode, electrolyte and cathode).
Project funding:
Project is funded by the EU Structural Funds according to the 2007–2013 Human Resources Development Operational Programme, priority’s “Strengthening Researchers Abilities” measure ” Support for scientific activities of researchers”
Project results:
During the project implementation period, research results were presented at 11 international conferences, four 2-week internships were completed in scientific laboratories, where the proton conductivity of thin-film coatings was checked and the electrochemical properties of the formed structures were additionally measured, 6 articles were published and 1 LR patent was registered.
Project coordinator: Kaunas University of Technology
