Joe Rigby

Hydrogen Cells
The Cell of the Future
When two half cells were first but together to create a source of current, the world thought that this would mean there could be an unlimited supply of electricity. This was not the case. The first batteries proved to be very inefficient, requiring huge amounts of chemicals to produce a small current for a small amount of time. Through time, more efficient chemicals were found to increase the voltage produced and the length of time it could be produced. Although these new batteries boasted much better performance, the chemicals used to do so would be very dangerous for the users and the environment. An example of these dangerous batteries would be Lead-Acid. These batteries are still very widely used throughout car manufacture, but all this could end through the use of the newly developed hydrogen cell. Usually, half cells consist of two metals (they can be the same, or they can be different) that are in two different oxidation states. An example of this could be a copper electrode in a solution of its metal ions. This diagram shows a copper electrode in a solution which is most likely copper sulphate (CuSO4). This gives the equation:
Reduction

Cu2+ + 2eOxidation

Cu

The copper solid is more stable than the ion, so equilibrium is to the right. This half cell can then be added to another half cell, such as zinc to produce a current. This is the method that is used inside regular un-rechargeable batteries, but the future relies on rechargeable cells that do not require any metal ions at all. Instead, just gas. In a hydrogen half cell, the substance in two oxidation states is hydrogen: H2 gas being fed in and H+ ions in an acidic solution. A diagram of this follows: When the hydrogen gas comes into contact with the hydrogen ions, the following reaction takes place:

Joe Rigby
Reduction

H+ + 2eH2 Equilibrium is towards the right in this half cell, as the Oxidation hydrogen gas is much more stable. In a hydrogen fuel cell, the hydrogen half cell is present, but not quite in the same form. In a fuel cell, the reaction within the cell uses external supplies of a fuel and an oxidant, which are used and need to be provided continuously. The cell will create electricity until one or both of the vital substances run out. In a hydrogen fuel cell, the fuel is hydrogen and the oxidant is normal air. For electrical power to be successfully created there must also be a catalyst and electrolyte present. The following equation show what is happening within the cell: 2H2O + 2eH 2 + 2OHE 0.83V 1/2O2 + H2O + 2e2OH=+0.40V =E

This means that the more negative system gives the electrons and the more positive receives them. These two half equations are combined to create: H2 + 1/2O2 H 2O Ecell = E (positive terminal) E = 0.40 (-0.83) =1.23V (negative terminal)

This sort of hydrogen cells were first invented over 150 years ago when Sir William Grove mixed hydrogen and oxygen through an electrolyte, although it was only recently that they have been made efficient enough to be a viable source of electricity. Because our finite fossil fuel supplies are running out, the hydrogen fuel cell could be our saving grace. Many car manufactures have been researching fuel cell powered vehicles to reduce the use of petrol. Pure hydrogen and hydrogen rich fuels are possible substances that could be used in these new motors. Because hydrogen is very difficult and dangerous to store, methanol could be used to produce hydrogen within the vehicle, by combining the methanol with water and then converted into hydrogen and carbon dioxide. This is also an advantage over using pure hydrogen as methanol can be produced from biomass. A disadvantage of

Joe Rigby using a methanol fuel cell is that carbon dioxide is still produced as a waste gas. More advantages of fuel cells are that there are much less pollutants created. Only small amounts of CO2 are made and no CO which would be a product of incomplete combustion. As well as this, fuel cells would create much more efficient transport, as petrol powered cars are around 20% efficient, while fuel cell powered cars would be 40-60% efficient. This would then drastically reduce fuel consumption. As was mentioned earlier, hydrogen gas, as any gas, would be very difficult to store. It is made even more difficult with hydrogen, as it has such a low boiling point. Because of this, different methods have been devised to overcome the problem. The first way is to keep it under pressure to turn it into a liquid. This then creates the problem that a low temperature is needed to be maintained to stop it boiling. This then means it is not a viable solution. A more realistic solution would be to introduce a solid that the hydrogen could either be absorbed (dislocated H atoms incorporate into the lattice) or adsorbed (the H2 molecules attach to the surface of the solid) within. This may be an effective resolution to storing hydrogen, but at present, the absorbers and adsorbers have a very limited lifetime. Even though there are still many problems with the storage of hydrogen, hydrogen filling stations are still very widespread throughout the world, with one even at the University of Birmingham. Although the hydrogen fuel cell seems that it would be the next generation of personal transport and for all of our electrical needs, but there is a fundamental problem. Because hydrogen is so reactive, its impossible to find it in its original state. This then means energy must be used to separate it from compounds. This can be done through the electrolysis of water or reacting methane with steam, which negates trying to find a renewable fuel source. Both of these methods for creating Hydrogen gas could use more energy than that is saved through the use of the hydrogen. Despite this, Honda has been producing a car that runs entirely on hydrogen since 2008.