Chinese scientists boost hydrogen fuel cell power fourfold with new design
Chinese scientists have developed a way to generate a fourfold increase in power output of hydrogen fuel cells, an advance that could broaden their use from road vehicles to space missions. Hydrogen is widely viewed as a promising clean energy source for a low-carbon future. Fuel cells convert the chemical energy in hydrogen directly into electricity, producing water as their only exhaust. In a…
Chinese scientists have made a significant breakthrough in hydrogen fuel cell technology, potentially expanding their practical applications beyond road vehicles to space missions. Their research, published in the prestigious journal Science, reveals a fourfold increase in power output using a novel design for proton-exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs). These cells are commonly used in hydrogen-powered vehicles and operate at relatively low temperatures, currently converting 50-60% of hydrogen energy into electricity.
The researchers at the Beijing Institute of Technology identified the bottleneck in proton movement within the catalyst layer as the primary limitation to efficiency. To overcome this, they created a unique interface that allows protons to "hop" between intermediary "islands," rather than directly moving to the catalyst surface.
This "Brønsted acid-Lewis base interface" significantly boosts proton diffusion, conductivity, and reduces the energy barrier protons face, resulting in a fourfold power increase under standard conditions.
Remarkably, the new design uses only a small amount of platinum, the costly catalyst typically required in hydrogen fuel cells. It delivered 6.9 kilowatts of power per gram of platinum, surpassing current state-of-the-art technology. The design also demonstrated durability, retaining 63% of its initial peak power after 30,000 operating cycles, compared to just 30% for conventional systems.
This advancement comes at a crucial time, as China's hydrogen sector is rapidly expanding. By the end of 2025, the country produced over 51 million tonnes of hydrogen annually, accounting for 53% of renewable-energy-powered hydrogen projects based on electrolysis. Over 130 fuel-cell power plants were operational, with a combined installed capacity exceeding 30 megawatts. China's hydrogen production capacity is set to grow further, driven by government backing and the country's ambitious goals for hydrogen adoption by 2030.
Written by urgent.news from Reuters Business via SCMP's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
