Pohang University of Science and Technology (South Korea) proposed another version of fuel cell high power and high reliability structure. Such cells, can solve the problem of insufficient capacity of lithium-ion batteries for new applications. drones, smart phones and even electric cars. The new technology allows the creation of fuel cells in a wide range of sizes. batteries will provide a miniature UAV flight duration of not less than one hour, and smartphones will allow to work without recharging up to one week.
As it is known, in a fuel cell, a chemical reaction for the conversion of hydrogen (or other substance, such as methanol) into electricity by oxygen ion migration in the electrolyte to a battery electrode. Modern membrane electrodes are made during the lithographic process technology on the silicon substrate. Silicon does not tolerate rapid temperature changes that accompany the battery discharge processes under heavy load.
To improve the reliability of the membrane (and cell), scientists have proposed to make it the base of porous stainless steel. Steel easily withstands high temperatures and is resistant to corrosion, which inevitably arise in the process of constantly going to the fuel cell redox reactions. The new cell called SOFC (solid oxide fuel cell).
In the process of manufacturing the membrane on steel applied thin-film coating of a certain material is oxide. Steel acts as a substrate, and the oxide film serves as an electrode. It turns a double gas barrier layer that is resistant to strong differences of temperatures. It is argued that this is the first such a fuel cell in the world. The energy density in the prototype reaches 560 mW / sq. cm. at a temperature of 550 degrees Celsius.