Power from formic acid

Room temperature is warm enough: hydrogen for fuel cells from formic acid

Hydrogen is generated from formic acid amine adducts at room temperature used directly in fuel cells (see picture for apparatus). Ruthenium phosphine systems act as catalysts in this transformation. Click here for more information.

This release is available in German.

One of the central challenges of our time is the supply of enough environmentally friendly and resource-efficient energy to our society. In this context, hydrogen technology has taken on increased importance. Björn Loges, Albert Boddien, Henrik Junge, and Matthias Beller at the Leibniz Institute of Catalysis in Rostock have now succeeded in the controlled extraction of hydrogen from formic acid—without the need for the high-temperature reforming process usually involved in other hydrogen generation systems. As they report in the journal Angewandte Chemie, this hydrogen source, generated at room temperature, can be directly introduced into fuel cells.