NICOP - Unleashing the Energy of Direct Borohydride Fuel Cells (DBFC)
Abstract
Unleashing the Energy of Direct Borohydride Fuel Cells (DBFC)NOTE: ONR Code 33 Michele Anderson co-funds the collaboration of this project directly to NRL. ONR funds $304,000 over 3 years for NRL to collaborate on this research effort. a. Delocalized electric energy production and storage will be the cornerstone of the energy mix of the XXIst century, with special emphasis for systems to power mobile and transportation devices. In these applications, batteries are limited by their intrinsically low specific energy. On the contrary, fuel cells can be designed to optimize both their power (which scales to the electrode area) and energy ratings.b. There is a strong interest in sodium borohydride as a fuel source for fuel cells. The applications range from UAVs, UUVs to remote ISR technology. This project is a direct collaboration with ONR and NRL. c. Code 33The present project, which will be conducted in collaboration between the US Naval Research Laboratory (NRL, Dr. Karen Swider-Lyons) and the Laboratory of Electrochemistry andPhysical-chemistry of Materials and Interfaces (LEPMI, University Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, Prof. Marian Chatenet), focusses on the development (at LEPMI) of advanced catalyst systemsfor the electrochemically complex borohydride oxidation reaction in an alkaline delivery solution the anode reaction in a Direct Borohydride Fuel Cell, DBFC), and their implementation (atNRL) into nano-architectured DBFC anodes to examine cell-level performance. d. Predictable outcomes of this collaboration are multifold; on the fundamental side, they include reaction mechanisms/kinetics understanding at model catalysts, which shall be valorized inconference presentations and journal articles; on the materials side, tailored electrocatalysts will be designed, elaborated, characterized and validated in DBFC operating conditions, and then implemented in nano-architectured DBFC anodes to probe their efficiency and durability in operation. From these more applied results, joint patents may be taken, whenever relevant, being admitted that the first practical outcome of the project will be optimized DBFC anode catalysts and electrode structures, and then efficient and durable DBFC systems for UUV applications.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Sep 30, 2016
- Source ID
- N629091612137
Entities
People
- Marian Chatenet
Organizations
- National Center for Scientific Research
- Office of Naval Research
- United States Navy