Abstract
Climate change is not a problem of the future, but rather is an urgent problem right now. The earth will continue to warm due to increased emissions of greenhouse gases (GHGs) caused by human activities and the effects will continue to be widespread and profound (Climate NASA) if meaningful actions are not taken. One of the solutions to this problem is to move towards a hydrogen future while moving away from the combustion of hydrocarbons. Hydrogen fuel cells are an alternative energy source that utilizes the chemical energy of hydrogen, an abundant element on earth, to cleanly and efficiently generate electricity. Replacing internal combustion engines with hydrogen fuel cells could have a significant impact on decreasing the GHG emissions from transportation sources, and in the future, hydrogen fuel cells will likely also be implemented for stationary electricity and for long-term energy storage, further alleviating global climate change. A hydrogen fuel cell stack (i.e., proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell stack) is composed of multiple
components, including a membrane electrode assembly (MEA), bipolar plates, and gaskets. The MEA is the core component of a PEM fuel cell and thus plays a critical role in the fuel cell performance. Momentum Materials Solutions (MMS) has developed a new generation MEA using a novel, patented self-supported nanoporous carbon scaffold that has a highly ordered porous structure and pore sizes that are completely controllable and reproducible. The nanoporous carbon scaffold-based MEA prototype has demonstrated more than 2 times higher durability and 10% better performance than seen for commercial MEAs, which translates to a savings of 50% of the operational costs for customers due to the significantly less frequent need for refurbishment or replacement of the MEA. Our results therefore show excellent promise for our paradigm-shifted nano-structured carbon scaffolds for use in MEAs for hydrogen fuel cell applications.
Bio
Arlene Ai
Arlene Ai graduated from Anhui Agriculture University (China) with an Honours Bachelor of Science degree majoring in Applied Chemistry. She then attended the University of Calgary, obtaining a Master of Science in Chemical Engineering. Her Master’s research under Dr. Viola Birss and Dr. Sathish Ponnurangam focused on Polyaniline-Coated Nanoporous Carbon Scaffold for Energy Storage and Water Deionization Applications. In 2019, Viola and Arlene received GRinSTEM grant and co-founded Momentum Materials Solutions to build novel carbon material-based solutions for hydrogen fuel cells. Arlene is passionate about transferring lab technologies into real-life applications to protect the planet.
Venue
7pm, Feb 8th, 2023.
For recording, please see above.