Print
Email
Print Edition Stories
Courtesy photo
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
From the Bench
UMass researcher in team effort to put fuel cells in Army backpacks
By Bridget Botelho, Special to Mass High Tech
Carbonrally joins gaming with cutting carbon emissions
Mass. metal developer aims for more fuel efficient cars
Within five years, local researchers could deliver a way to replace conventional batteries with inexpensive, lightweight and environmentally friendly alternatives.
University of Massachusetts Amherst polymer scientist and associate professor Bryan Coughlin is collaborating with scientists from other universities as part of a five-year, $7.5 million study funded by the U.S. Army Research Office to reduce the weight and the environmental impact of battery packs carried by armed forces.
The multi-university research project is expected to culminate with a viable alternative to current battery packs, which can weigh up to 40 pounds, used for powering gadgets soldiers use for communication, night vision, navigation and other tasks. “When soldiers go out on a mission, they carry incredibly heavy and incredibly awkward batteries that have to be charged before they go out,” Coughlin said. “Having a single power source that is lightweight, durable and refillable with something like methanol would be a huge advantage.”
The recycling issue is especially problematic for the armed forces. “The military isn’t fighting wars near recycling facilities,” Coughlin said. “So our military needs a more environmentally friendly battery that can be recharged with renewable energy sources.”
Replacing traditional batteries with fuel cells could be the answer; fuel cells run on renewable energy sources such as methanol or hydrogen, and can be contained in small, lightweight packaging. But today’s fuel cells aren’t widely available or financially practical because they require expensive precious metal catalysts such as palladium and platinum.
Coughlin, who earned his Ph.D. in chemistry at the California Institute of Technology and holds more than 20 U.S. patents, is part of a team working to make fuel cells without using precious metal catalysts. Coughlin’s work on the project is focused on developing novel polymer membranes for use in fuel cells.
The theory behind the research is conceptually similar to that of existing proton exchange membrane fuel cells, but the mode of operation and transport is different, Coughlin said. “The catalysts we are using are more readily available – silver, iron and cobalt – earth abundant materials, which lower costs, and are easier to use than proton exchange membranes,” he said.
The current research will combine computational and theoretical testing. The lead institution for this initiative is the Colorado School of Mines. Other partners include scientists at the University of Chicago who are contributing theory and computational studies and researchers at the University of California-Riverside who will conduct membrane evaluation and testing.
Bridget Botehlo is a writer in East Warwick, R.I.
Comments
If you are commenting using a Facebook account, your profile information may be displayed with your comment depending on your privacy settings. By leaving the 'Post to Facebook' box selected, your comment will be published to your Facebook profile in addition to the space below.
RSS Feeds
