(Invited) Advanced Analysis Technologies Developed in Nedo FC-Platform: From Innovative Material Developments to Solving Problems for Industrial Implementation
Authors: Imai Hideto , Sakurai Yoshiharu , Otomo Toshiya , Uchimoto Yoshiharu , Takeuchi Norimitsu 
Published: December 2024

Polymer electrolyte fuel cells are a key device for hydrogen utilization towards achieving carbon neutrality. It is effective to expand it not only to FCVs, but also to heavy duty vehicles (HDVs) and other mobilities to expand the range of its use. In many countries around the world, application to trucks has become mainstream, and its application to trains and ships is also progressing. The specifications required for fuel cells for such heavy-duty usage are higher performance and durability than fuel cells for FCVs, making material development challenging. [1]

Considering such background, NEDO is working with the industry to envision the fuel cell specifications that will be needed around 2030 and 2040. [2] By breaking the overall target down to each material target, we are making our research and development goals more concrete: the 2030 materials targets will require solutions to current complex and difficult challenges and the material development targets for 2040 are aggressive targets that may not be achieved by extending current material development. We have built and operate NEDO FC-platform to promote and support such challenging research and development. [3, 4] (Fig. 1)

The materials analysis group in NEDO FC-Platform has four missions to contribute to achieving these goals: support for the development of innovative materials, database construction to promote materials informatics, advanced phenomenon analysis for simulator development, and advanced phenomenon analysis for solving industrial issues. Research institutes in Japan are working together to advance the sophistication of analysis technology.

The figure below shows the portfolio of advanced analysis technology in NEDO FC -Platform. The development of fuel cells with a hierarchical structure requires multiscale analysis techniques. High-performance electron microscope and operando X-ray analysis technology to measure structure and dynamics at the atomic level, X-ray and neutron beam analysis technology to analyze catalyst layer structure and formation process, and visualization of reactions and changes in their distribution within the catalyst layer, and X-ray and neutron technology for elucidating mass transfer and phenomena at the cell level is progressing, and it is being applied to fuel cells provided by industry to verify their effectiveness. We are conducting verification and working to resolve issues.

Furthermore, in the coming years, synchrotron radiation facilities, such as SPring-8 and NanoTerasu will be upgraded, and neutron facilities such as J-PARC and electron microscopes will become more sophisticated. We are also working on improving the performance of measurement hardware and innovating measurement technology through digitalization, and we will discuss our prospects.

Acknowledgement

This work is based on results obtained from a project commissioned by the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO).

References :

[1] Cullen, D.A., Neyerlin, K.C., Ahluwalia, R.K. et al. New roads and challenges for fuel cells in heavy-duty transportation. Nat Energy 6, 462–474 (2021).

[2] Technology Roadmap Hydrogen and Fuel Cells, https://www.nedo.go.jp/content/100973008.pdf

[3] K. Amemiya, et. al., 242nd ECS meeting abstract.

[4] N. Takeuchi, et. al., 244th ECS meeting abstract.

Figure 1