Energy News  
Outlook Bright For Hydrogen Biofuel Cell

Traditional hydrogen fuel cells generate energy through chemical reactions involving oxygen and hydrogen, often using precious metals as catalysts for the reactions.

Oxford, England (UPI) Oct 24, 2005
British scientists say simple, cost-effective hydrogen biofuel cells could be developed from electrodes coated with a bacterial enzyme to oxidize hydrogen.

Traditional hydrogen fuel cells generate energy through chemical reactions involving oxygen and hydrogen, often using precious metals as catalysts for the reactions.

Now University of Oxford scientists say they've developed fuel cells using catalysts from biological organisms, or enzymes.

The researchers note most microbes utilizing hydrogen live in oxygen-poor environments, and their enzymes cannot tolerate oxygen. Carbon monoxide is harmful to the enzymes and conventional fuel cells.

Using a bacterial enzyme somewhat tolerant to oxygen, Fraser Armstrong and colleagues tested its catalytic activity in the presence of oxygen and carbon monoxide. The scientists created a simple fuel cell using that enzyme as a catalyst, and the resulting biofuel cell produced electricity, even without a membrane to separate hydrogen and oxygen and in the presence of high levels of carbon monoxide.

The results suggest the potential of developing simple hydrogen biofuel cells unaffected by carbon monoxide and able to run on highly contaminated hydrogen.

The research appears in the online early edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Community
Email This Article
Comment On This Article

Related Links
University of Oxford
SpaceDaily
Search SpaceDaily
Subscribe To SpaceDaily Express
Powering The World in the 21st Century at Energy-Daily.com



Memory Foam Mattress Review
Newsletters :: SpaceDaily :: SpaceWar :: TerraDaily :: Energy Daily
XML Feeds :: Space News :: Earth News :: War News :: Solar Energy News


Europe Debates Nuclear Energy
Washington (UPI) Jan 11, 2006
European Union countries are starting to rethink their opposition to nuclear energy amid a dispute between Russia and Ukraine over natural gas supplies, but energy analysts say a switch still lacks a green light.







  • Scientists Synthesize Cheap, Easy-to-Make Ultra-thin Photovoltaic Films
  • Oil Prices Dip After Hurricane Moves Out To Sea
  • Outlook Bright For Hydrogen Biofuel Cell
  • World's First Biogas Train Makes Maiden Voyage In Sweden

  • India Calls For Action Against Nuclear Proliferators
  • France Announces Part-Privatisation Of Energy Giant EDF
  • US Blacklists Eight North Korea Entities Over WMD Proliferation
  • India-U.S. Nuke Deal Uphill Task

  • Getting To The TOPP Of Houston's Air Pollution
  • Scientists Seek Sprite Light Source



  • Farm Talks Collapse In Geneva
  • Defeating The 'Superpests'
  • Crop Scientists Improve "Supergrain" For Impoverished Farmers
  • Gourmet Space Dinner On Greenland Icecap

  • Japan Creates The World's Fastest Electric Sedan
  • Motorists To Pay 'Congestion' Charge Over Broader Swath Of London
  • Solar Cars Driving Towards A Hydrogen Future
  • Mapflow And DTO Announce Dublin Satellite Tolling Study

  • US Forced Israel To Freeze Venezuelan F-16 Contract: Ministry
  • Wright Brothers Upstaged! Dinos Invented Biplanes
  • Boeing Awarded Common Bomber Mission Planning Enterprise Contract
  • Capability Assessment Helps AF Prepare For Future

  • NASA plans to send new robot to Jupiter
  • Los Alamos Hopes To Lead New Era Of Nuclear Space Tranportion With Jovian Mission
  • Boeing Selects Leader for Nuclear Space Systems Program
  • Boeing-Led Team to Study Nuclear-Powered Space Systems

  • The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2006 - SpaceDaily.AFP and UPI Wire Stories are copyright Agence France-Presse and United Press International. ESA PortalReports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additionalcopyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement,agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by SpaceDaily on any Web page published or hosted by SpaceDaily. Privacy Statement