Scientists have found that what keeps you awake also ensures higher efficiency in fuel cells.
What does caffeine have to do with fuel cells? Caffeine is found in many popular drinks, whether coffee, tea, soft drinks, or energy drinks, and is very popular for making you feel more awake. According to recent findings (via nature.com), it also has a positive effect on the energy generation process in fuel cells.
Wait, what exactly is a fuel cell again? It converts chemical energy into electrical energy. The classic example is hydrogen and oxygen reacting together with platinum as a catalyst. The faster the reaction occurs, the better, and this is where caffeine comes into play, as it speeds up the fuel cell and saves platinum. The precious metal is expensive and gets “used” up over time in the cell:
Where are fuel cells used? You will most likely encounter them in everyday life in cars or trucks. Theoretically, however, there are several other fields, such as airplanes, that are also conceivable and are currently being tested. However, the weight of the hydrogen to be carried still imposes relatively early limits.
A layer of caffeine, please?
How does caffeine help? It is added as part of a liquid and ensures that the platinum lasts longer and accelerates the water/oxygen reaction. Thanks to caffeine, the costs of fuel cells can be reduced and the electricity yield increased.
Will we all soon use fuel cells in devices? No, probably, even with this innovation, fuel cells will not suddenly become a panacea for all our energy concerns. But if used widely, it could help promote their use in airplanes or trucks in the medium term and eventually make them part of everyday life.
We find high-tech of a very different, almost magical kind partly in Dune. One example is the suits of the desert dwellers, the Fremen. Hardly any or even no expelled water is lost, thus securing survival in the deserts of Arrakis. In the following article, we introduce you to some YouTubers who have improvised a, at least partially functional, replica in just one single day: The desert suits from Dune sound too good to work – fans built one and are surprised.
