Researchers have developed a self-cleaning technique that could allow solid oxide fuel cells to be powered directly by coal gas.
Barium oxide nanostructures adsorb moisture to initiate a water-based chemical reaction that oxidizes the carbon as it forms, keeping the nickel electrode surfaces clean.
“This could ultimately be the cleanest, most efficient and cost-effective way of converting coal into electricity,” Regents professor Meilin Liu said.
This technique could provide a cleaner and more efficient alternative to conventional power plants for generating electricity.
Read more at Georgia Institute of Technology