Powering batteries with protons and hydrogen
Researchers at RMIT University have developed a concept battery based on storing protons produced by splitting water, thus advancing the potential for hydrogen to replace lithium as an energy source in battery-powered devices.
Their concept for the ‘proton flow battery’ has been published in the International Journal of Hydrogen Energy. Lead researcher Associate Professor John Andrews said the name came about as “only an inflow of water is needed in the charge mode, and air in discharge mode”.
The concept integrates a metal hydride storage electrode into a reversible proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell. During charging, protons produced from splitting water are directly combined with electrons and metal particles in one electrode of the fuel cell, forming a solid-state metal hydride as the energy storage. To resupply electricity, this process is reversed.
The hydrogen storage electrode was “found to have acceptably high proton and electron conductivities”, said the researchers, with a hydrogen storage capacity “measured to be 0.6 wt% of hydrogen, although the amount of hydrogen recovered to run the device in fuel cell mode was much lower”. In principle, the energy efficiency of the battery could be as high as that of a lithium-ion battery, while storing more energy per unit mass and volume.
The proton flow battery concept eliminates the need for the production, storage and recovery of hydrogen gas, which currently limit the efficiency of conventional hydrogen-based electrical energy storage systems. Associate Professor Andrews added, “Powering batteries with protons has the potential to be a much more economical device than using lithium ions, which have to be produced from relatively scarce mineral, brine or clay resources.”
Associate Professor Andrews said the concept combines the best aspects of hydrogen fuel cells and battery-based electrical power. He said hydrogen has “great potential as a clean power source and this research advances the possibilities for its widespread use - from consumer electronic devices to large electricity grid storage and electric vehicles”.
However, noted the researchers, “additional research is still required to enhance both storage capacity and reversibility”.
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