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Solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) have the potential to extend the driving range of electric vehicles and power stationary generators while keeping emissions low. The challenge, however, is that these systems typically require extremely high operating temperatures.
Researchers from South Korea and Japan may have found a solution. The team created a new crystalline material capable of absorbing and releasing oxygen on demand, almost like it is “breathing.” This ability allows fuel cells to generate electricity from hydrogen efficiently, produce fewer emissions, and maintain durability across repeated use.
The material is a metal oxide made from strontium, iron, and cobalt. When heated to just 752 °F (400 °C)—a relatively modest temperature compared to current methods—it releases oxygen when required. This breakthrough addresses the difficulty of oxygen control at much higher temperatures and replaces earlier fragile materials that couldn’t withstand repeated cycles.
Prof. Hyoungjeen Jeen from Pusan National University, Korea
This is a significant leap toward smart materials that can adapt in real time, said Professor Hiromichi Ohta of Hokkaido University in Japan, co-author of the study published in Nature Communications last week. Its possible applications stretch from clean energy technologies to electronics and even sustainable building materials.
Beyond fuel cells, the crystal could also play a role in compact devices such as thermal transistors, which regulate heat transfer in electronics, as well as in smart windows that manage heat flow to keep indoor environments comfortable.
Read the original article on: New Atlas
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