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Stationary Fuel Cells That Use Natural Gas One Step Closer |
 Photo: Valentino Mauricio Click photo for high resolution version. |
Dr. John Goodenough, the Virginia H. Cockrell Centennial Chair in
Engineering whose laboratory
recognized the potential of a perskovite ceramic to serve as an
effective electrode in fuel cells powered by natural gas.
The prototype fuel-cell electrode (anode) that his laboratory fabricated and tested is displayed on the white plastic lid he is holding. The research will be published in the Friday, April 14, 2006 issue of the journal Science. |
 Photo: Valentino Mauricio Click photo for high resolution version. |
A close-up of the anode (white squares) made of the double perskovite, in Goodenough's fingers. The anode rests atop the electrolyte (gold circle), through which the negatively charged oxygen atoms travel to reach the anode to participate in the chemical reactions that produce electricity. |
 Photo: Valentino Mauricio Click photo for high resolution version. |
Co-workers Dr. Ronald Dass and Dr. Yun-Hui Huang, who worked with Prof. Goodenough on the fuel-cell research. |
 Photo: Valentino Mauricio Click photo for high resolution version. |
At left, a container of the liquid version of the double-perskovite slurry used
to screen-print the anode on the electrolyte has the chemical composition noted on the lid.
The prototype anode and reference anode (white squares), and the underlying electrolyte (gold circle) of a test cell that Goodenough's laboratory fabricated, displayed atop another white plastic lid at right. |
 Photo: Valentino Mauricio Click photo for high resolution version. |
Dr. Goodenough's laboratory used a screen printing technique to spread the liquid-ink version (green) of the double-perskovite ceramic onto the electrolyte surface. |