Fuel cell materials environmental aspects

A major aspect of research and development in industrial catalysis is the identification of catalytic materials and reaction conditions that lead to effective catalytic processes. The need for efficient approaches to facilitate the discovery of new solid catalysts is particularly timely in view of the growing need to expand the applications of catalytic technologies beyond the current chemical and petrochemical industries. For example, new catalysts are needed for environmental applications such as treatment of noxious emissions or for pollution prevention. Improved catalysts are needed for new fuel cell applications. The production of high-value specialty chemicals requires the development of new catalytic materials. Furthermore, new catalysts may be combined with biochemical processes for the production of chemicals from renewable resources. The catalysts required for these new applications may be different from those in current use in the chemical and petrochemical industries. 

Especially for new and supposedly environmentally beneficial technology, it is important to prove these benefits and identify any possible pitfalls. Under the headline of sustainability, this article therefore discusses several aspects of environmental impact of solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) technology the improvements delivered by increased (primary) energy efficiency and carbon dioxide emissions on the mie hand and the prospective impacts of the materials used in manufacturing the SOFC on the other hand, using an inventory analysis approach. 

Abstract Whereas much attention has been paid to the environmental aspects of the life cycle of fuel cell fuel production, emphasis is placed on fuel cell hardware and materials recovery, including component reuse, remanufacturing, materials recycling and energy recovery for fuel cell maintenance and retirement processes. Fuel cell hardware recycling is described and issues related to the recycling infrastructure and the compatibihty of fuel cell hardware and materials are discussed. The role of materials selection and recovery in the fuel cell hfe cycle is described. Future trends for fuel cells centered on voluntary and mandatory recovery and the movement of life cycle considerations from computational research laboratories to design complete the discussion. 

As fnel cells move from laboratory and/or pilot plarrt settings to wide-scale deployment, an opporturrity exists to consider the environmental aspects of the hardware life cycle. Here, the life cycle extends from materials sotrrces (acqrrisition from the earth) throrrgh recovery, with Section 5.2 introducing some errvirorrmental aspects of fuel cell rrraterials. Section 5.3 continues by defining hardware recovery to include collectiorr, separation arrd snbsequent system or componerrt rerrse and... 

Fuel cell hardware recycling promises to be an important environmental aspect of mass-produced systems. In recovery, materials are collected and separated before being reused, remanufactured, recycled or used for energy recovery, as follows ... 

The first part of the book examines the crystal and electronic structure, stoichiometry and composition, redox properties, acid-base character, and cation valence states, as well as new approaches to the preparation of ordered TMO with extended structure of texturally defined systems. The second part compiles practical aspects of TMO applications in materials science, chemical sensing, analytical chemistry, solid-state chemistry, microelectronics, nanotechnology, environmental decontamination, and fuel cells. The book examines many types of reactions — such as dehydration, reduction, selective oxidations, olefin metathesis, VOC removal, photo- and electrocatalysis, and water splitting — to elucidate how chemical composition and optical, magnetic, and structural properties of oxides affect their surface reactivity in catalysis. 

The second part of the book compiles some practical aspects of metal oxides, with emphasis in catalytic applications. Metal oxides represent an expanding class of compounds with a wide range applications in several areas such as materials science and catalysis, chemical sensing, microelectronics, nanotechnology, environmental decontamination, analytical chemistry, solid-state chemistry, and fuel cells. Our basic knowledge on the metal oxide chemistry is relatively far from that for metals, and as yet, little is known about fundamental relationships between reactivity of oxide compounds and their chemical compositions, crystal structures, and electronic properties at the surface. When examining the importance of metal oxides, and specifically TMOs, in several reactions such as dehydration, selective oxidations, olefin metathesis, VOCs removal, photocatalysis, water splitting, and electrocatalysis, attempts will be made in order to connect properties of the oxides and their reactivity. Since the catalytic phenomenon is confined to the external surface of the solids where molecules or atoms interact, the study of this interaction... 

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