Berlin 2014 – scientific programme
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AKE: Arbeitskreis Energie
AKE 13: Mobilität
AKE 13.1: Invited Talk
Tuesday, March 18, 2014, 16:30–17:00, DO24 Reuter Saal
The Importance of Electrochemistry for the Development of Sustainable Mobility — •Jochen Friedl1,2 and Ulrich Stimming1,2,3 — 1TUM CREATE, 1 CREATE Way, CREATE Tower, Singapore 138602, Singapore — 2Department of Physics E19, Technische Universität München, James-Franck Str. 1, 85748 Garching, Germany — 3Institute for Advanced Study (IAS) of the Technische Universität München, Lichtenbergstr. 2a, 85748 Garching, Germany
Electrification of the vehicle powertrain is the most promising option for sustainable mobility [1]. For this purpose electrochemical energy storage devices, like supercapacitors and batteries, or electrochemical energy converters, i.e. fuel cells, are required. Supercapacitors store energy in the electrochemical double layer and surface reactions while batteries store energy within the electrodes. A fuel cell converts the chemical energy of a fuel by oxidation to electricity. The systems increase in energy density and decrease in power density in the presented order; current research makes these systems overlap in application.
However, still the primary energy question needs to be solved. Mobility can only then be sustainable if the energy carrier which powers the vehicles is derived from renewable energy sources. Solar energy flux on earth is orders of magnitudes higher than energy consumption of mankind and two principle methods are conceivable how solar energy can be utilized to power vehicles:
One method is to generate electricity and store it in secondary batteries to power Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs). Lithium-ion batteries are commercialized and have found wide application in the area of portable electronic devices, some issues like safety and reaction rates remain to be solved for a successful, large scale implementation of BEVs. We will review operation principle, current state of the art and also present emerging battery chemistries such as lithium-oxygen, lithium-sulfur and alternative intercalation ions like sodium-ions.
The other method is to thermally, chemically or electrochemically generate fuels, such as hydrogen or ethanol, from biomass or electricity and convert them in a fuel cell to power a Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle. Electrochemical conversion intrinsically shows higher conversion efficiencies than related thermochemical systems. We will focus on key issues such as electrocatalysis of the ever important hydrogen-related reactions, the oxygen reduction reaction and the ethanol oxidation reaction.
[1]J. Friedl, U. Stimming, Electrochim. Acta 101 (2013) 41.