Eco Factor: Chicken feathers used to make fuel cells cost-effective.
With the demand for chicken increasing substantially, poultry waste is also on the rise, which mainly consists of chicken feathers basically used up in the landfill or converted into low-grade animal feed. Professor Richard P. Wool of the chemical engineering department of the University of Delaware believes he can use all that poultry waste and convert it into fuel cells, hurricane-resistant roofs and even bio-based computer circuit boards.
The secret doesn’t actually lie in the processes Wool thinks of, but is actually built into the feathers in the form of keratin fiber. Keratin is actually a protein that forms strong, hollow tubes. When heated, this protein forms crosslinks, which strengthen its structure and makes it more porous by increasing its surface area. These crosslinks start forming at 350 degrees Celsius and above 500 C they collapse. Professor Wool is trying to use the increase in surface area and porosity to store hydrogen for fuel cells in a cost-effective way.
The carbonized chicken feathers, would add just about $200 to the price of the car, which is extremely cheap considering a similar carbon nanotube tank that adds $5.5 million to the car and the one made from metal hydrides costs up to $30,000. Apart from making cars green, the research could also unveil a new era of low-cost hydrogen-powered cars. The inventor estimates that a 75-gallon tank made from chicken feathers could allow a car to run 300 miles. Apart from the cheap hydrogen tanks, the same tech can also be used in making hurricane-resistant roofs and bio-based circuit boards for greener computers.
Image Courtesy: Inquirer
Via: University of Delaware [Press Release]
