The prickly skin of the cactus is helping to make better electric car fuel cells

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Businessinsider.com.au | Chris Pash | Apr 29, 2016



A new type of membrane, inspired by the cactus, has the potential to significantly boost the performance of fuel cells for the electric vehicle industry.

The membrane was developed by scientists from Australia’s peak science body, the CSIRO, and Hanyang University in Korea.

A paper in the journal Nature says the membrane can improve the efficiency of fuel cells by a factor of four in hot conditions.

The skin works in a similar way to a cactus plant, which thrives by retaining water in harsh and arid environments, according to CSIRO researcher and co-author Dr Aaron Thornton,

“Fuel cells, like the ones used in electric vehicles, generate energy by mixing together simple gases, like hydrogen and oxygen,” says Dr Thornton.

However, the proton exchange membrane fuel cells need to stay constantly hydrated to be efficient...snip
http://www.businessinsider.com.au/the-prickly-skin-of-the-cactus-is-helping-to-make-better-electric-car-fuel-cells-2016-4

[OKIsItJustMe]

1. Cactus inspired skin gives electric cars a spike

http://www.csiro.au/en/News/News-releases/2016/Cactus-inspired-skin-gives-electric-cars-a-spike

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“This means that fuel cells can remain hydrated without the need for bulky external humidifier equipment. We also found that the skin made the fuel cells up to four times as efficient in hot and dry conditions,” she said.

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