Researchers look to ceramic materials for more efficient hydrogen technologies

(CONNECT) An international research team led by the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology (Empa) is investigating the fundamentals of hydrogen ion (proton) transport in ceramic membranes. In this context, the researchers are focused on how the material structure of such specialized ceramics influences the uptake and movement of protons. As Empa explains in a statement, understanding these relationships should eventually enable the development of higher-performance membranes for fuel cells and electrolyzers.

In the current series of experiments, researchers are focusing on lanthanum cerium oxide (LCO). This is a material that can accommodate many protons but is largely unable to conduct them further. However, it is precisely this characteristic that the researchers expect will produce fresh insights into the relationship between material structure and proton conductivity. To this end, the team is utilizing, among other aspects, high-resolution neutron measurements at the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI), located in Villigen in the Swiss canton of Aargau, as well as further investigations at large-scale research facilities in the USA and Japan.

Earlier work carried out by the Empa team had already shown that proton transport in ceramic conductors is closely linked to crystal lattice vibrations and that protons embedded in the lattice can actually alter these vibrations themselves. The new project aims to precisely explain these processes and experimentally verify the theoretical models. Green hydrogen is regarded as a key energy source for the energy transition. By increasing the efficiency and durability of membranes, the production and use of green hydrogen could be made more cost-effective.

The project is being supported by the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) as part of the External Lead Agency program. ce/ja