Proton preference makes graphene fuel-cell friendly

New research has shown protons easily penetrate monolayer sheets of graphene making it an attractive material for fuel-cell technology. A team led by Sir Andre Geim, the discoverer of graphene, has published research in Nature showing that graphene allows protons to pass selectively through its monolayer structure. This could lead to fuel-cell and other hydrogen based technology innovations. It is suggested that graphene membranes could be applied to separate hydrogen gas from the atmosphere in order to produce fuel for electric generators that would essentially be powered by air. PhD student Marcelo Hidalgo, part of Geim’s research team said: “When you know how it should work, it is a very simple setup. You put a hydrogen-containing gas on one side, apply small electric current and collect pure hydrogen on the other side. This hydrogen can then be burned in a fuel cell.” Well known for its properties and potential applications, this ultra-light, very tough material is impermeable to all gases and liquids. Its ability to allow an exclusive flow of protons while remaining impermeable to other species makes it an ideal candidate for fuel-cell technology. Fuel-cell technology requires improvements in order to become more widely applied. One of the biggest issues is thought to be the fuel crossover through the existing proton membranes which can reduce efficiency and durability. This research, undertaken at The University of Manchester, found that graphene or monolayer boron nitride may allow the present membranes to become thinner and more efficient resulting in less fuel crossover. Dr Sheng Hu, leader of this research, said: “It looks extremely simple and equally promising. Because graphene can be produced these days in square metre sheets, we hope that it will find its way to commercial fuel cells sooner rather than later". Paper: http://phys.org/news/2014-11-protons-fuel-graphene-prospects.html