Researchers are searching for ceramic materials for more efficient hydrogen technologies

(CONNECT) An international research team led by the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology (Empa) is investigating the fundamentals of hydrogen ion (proton) transport in ceramic membranes. The central question is how the material structure of such specialty ceramics influences the absorption and movement of protons. According to Empa, understanding these relationships should, in the long term, enable the development of more efficient membranes for fuel cells and electrolysers.

In their current series of experiments, the researchers are focusing on lanthanum-cerium oxide (LCO), a material that can absorb many protons but is barely able to conduct them. It is precisely this property that is expected to provide new insights into the relationship between material structure and proton conductivity. To this end, the team is using, among other things, high-resolution neutron measurements at the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI) in Villigen, Aargau, as well as additional experiments at major research facilities in the United States and Japan.

Previous work by the Empa team had already shown that proton transport in ceramic conductors is closely linked to the vibrations of the crystal lattice and that embedded protons can themselves alter these lattice vibrations. The new project aims to shed more light on these processes and to test theoretical models experimentally. Green hydrogen is considered an important energy source for the energy transition. More efficient and durable membranes could help make its production and use more cost-effective.

The project is funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) under the External Lead Agency program. ce/ja