The first formic acid-based fuel cell was developed

Swiss researchers have developed the world's first fuel cell based on formic acid, which is easier to store and transport than a conventional hydrogen fuel cell that uses hydrogen. This fuel cell is suitable for providing environmentally friendly energy for remote areas.

In the development of environmental energy, hydrogen is a key direction. Hydrogen combustion does not produce pollutants and has excellent environmental performance. Therefore, hydrogen fuel cells and other equipment have been developed in the past. However, the problem is that the volume energy density of hydrogen is very low. To produce practical energy, the volume of hydrogen required in the gaseous state is huge, and there are also many difficulties in compressed storage and transportation of hydrogen.

Formic acid can be produced by the reaction of hydrogen and carbon dioxide, or it can be released by a chemical reaction to release hydrogen, and 1 liter of formic acid can produce 590 liters of hydrogen. Formic acid is liquid under normal conditions, easy to store, transport and treat, and its global production remains stable. It has been widely used in agriculture, leather, rubber, chemical and pharmaceutical industries.

Researchers at the Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne, Switzerland, and other institutions recently announced the development of a fuel cell based on formic acid. It mainly consists of two parts. The first part, called HYFORM, can produce hydrogen from formic acid using a quin-based catalyst. The second part is a fuel cell called PEMFC, which uses hydrogen sent by the previous part to generate electricity.

The device has a nominal power of 800 watts, roughly the same as the power required for 200 smartphones to charge at the same time, it said.

The device also has the advantages of low maintenance costs and scalable technology, which can be used for both domestic and industrial purposes. As long as the supply of formic acid remains stable, fuel cells can operate as an environmentally friendly energy source for a long time. Researchers believe it is ideal for providing environmentally friendly energy to remote areas.

The page contains the contents of the machine translation.