１． Osaka Gas, KYOCERA, TOYOTA MOTOR, and AISIN SEIKI Co., Ltd. have agreed to jointly develop residential SOFC cogeneration system. It seems that the aim of the agreement is to quicken the real commercialization of the SOFC cogeneration system for home use. They plan to complete the development of the residential SOFC cogeneration system till the first half of 2010, next year. As known, the PEFC cogeneration systems for home use is scheduled to begin selling of them on May of this year. The distributors of the home-use PEFC cogenerators are Tokyo Gas and other big energy companies in Japan.
http://www.aisin.co.jp/news/d00191.html
2. Tokyo Gas:
2-1) Tokyo Gas has completed a technology which is capable of producing hydrogen while keeping down CO2 emission even in small-scale facilities. The company has a plan to design hydrogen stations each supplying hydrogen to general family homes located near the hydrogen station, as well as to FCVs coming to the station.
http://www.business-i.jp/news/ind-page/news/200903240003a.nwc
2-2) Tokyo gas has decided to redesign the current residential PEFC cogeneration system, generally called ENEFARM, to reduce its size so that it is installable at multi-family housing. The FC cogenerators so size reduced will be sold in the first half of 2010. Tokyo Gas has a plan to sell 42,000 PEFC cogenerator units till the end of 2013. Other big energy companies as well as Tokyo gas are actively developing many sales strategies and continue the effort of developing new technologies, including cost reduction technology.
http://www.nikkei.co.jp/news/main/20090314AT1D1308513032009.html
3． SAPPORO Breweries, Petroleo Brasileiro S.A and ERGOSTECH, RENEWABLE ENERGY SOLUTIONS LTDA. will cooperatively perform a demonstration test of a project of producing bio fuels, including hydrogen, from cellulose bio-mass of the residue of the crops in Brazil.
http://www.sapporobeer.jp/CGI/newsrelease/detail/00000133/
4． Katayama Rivet & Screw Co., Ltd. exhibited unique products in FC EXPO 2009. This is the second time in a row that the company has participated in the expo. The products exhibited include new products, high strength stainless screws and titanium screws. The company expects that the sales of company’s screw products will increase in those fields.
http://www.nejinews.co.jp/news/fastener/archive/eid1852.html
5. Nagoya university has a plan to develop a large scale electron microscope which enables the observer to directly view chemical reaction processes in atom level, in cooperation with private companies. The development will be completed after one year. The world’s first microscope, when completed, is expected to have great contribution to the research and development of new catalysts and efficient fuel cells.
http://www.chunichi.co.jp/s/article/2009032290111135.html
Also read:
1) (75) Succeeded in Dynamically Observing Hydrogen Releasing Reaction
(by Graduate School of Engineering Hokkaido University & Institute for Advanced Materials Research (Hiroshima University)
News item No. 75, http://www.fcpat-japan.com/News2008-3.html
2) 113: Succeeded in Visualizing Incoming and Outgoing Motions of Lithium Ions at Positive Electrode by Electron Microscope (by AIST)
New item No. 113, http://www.fcpat-japan.com/News2008-4.html
If interested in any of the above news articles, please contact the news source(s) or us (= infonenryo@fcpat-japan.com)
2009年3月31日火曜日
2009年3月22日日曜日
World’s First Use of Bio-Process for Forming Platinoid Element Nanoparticle Catalyst
A bio-process has successfully formed platinoid element nanoparticle catalyst.
Specifically, iron-reducing bacteria (IRB) were used for forming the catalyst.
This process is different from the conventional engineering process.
This is the world’s first success.
The bio-process is economic and environment friendly.
Developed by:
Dr. Yoshinori Suzuki and Toshihiko Ohnuki, chief researcher (Advanced Science Research Center, Japan Atomic Energy Agency)
Professor Yohichi Enokida and joint research team (EcoTopia Science Institute, Nagoya University)
As is known, the platinoid element has an excellent catalytic ability.
The platinoid element has been used for fuel cells, for removing causative agents of photochemical smog, acid rain, etc., isotope exchange, for isotope exchange.
The nanoparticle has a large ratio of the surface area to the volume.
Many processes to form the platinoid element nanoparticle catalyst have been developed and are currently used. Those processes suffer from problems, however.
The physically crushing method has the following problems: When large particles are crushed into nanoparticles, impurity substances are mixed into the nanoparticles (poor impurity), and nanoparticles tend to agglutinate.
The chemical precipitation method needs a large-scale system for making the nanoparticle grow from a seed as chemical reaction proceeds.
Much efforts have been made to seek the best ways to form the nanoparticle catalyst all over the world. It is note that in such circumstances, the bio-process to form the nanoparticle catalyst has been created.
The researchers focused attention on the fact that specific microorganisms couple to the transuranic element, for example.
Iron-reducing bacteria were added to a platinic acid solution and a palladium acid solution. It was observed that platinoid particles of nano-scale were formed on the cell of the iron-reduction bacterium (see Fig. 1).
“Microorganism cells - platinoid particles” were placed on diatomaceous earth for the isotope exchange hydrogen (H2) with deuterium (D2) (H2 + D2 → 2HD).
The efficiency of the isotope exchange was about 6 times of that when only the platinum particles are used. Excellent catalytic ability was exhibited.
The researchers said:
1) The iron-reducing bacteria have other functions, for example, function to mineralize uranium.
2) The possibility is present that other microorganisms, for example, yeast, have excellent functions.
3) We hope to find other functions of the microorganism, to elucidate their mechanisms and to propose additional bio-processes.
4) We hope to develop new catalysts that are operable in intensive radiation conditions.
[Excerpted from Press Release by Japan Atomic Energy Agency]
Specifically, iron-reducing bacteria (IRB) were used for forming the catalyst.
This process is different from the conventional engineering process.
This is the world’s first success.
The bio-process is economic and environment friendly.
Developed by:
Dr. Yoshinori Suzuki and Toshihiko Ohnuki, chief researcher (Advanced Science Research Center, Japan Atomic Energy Agency)
Professor Yohichi Enokida and joint research team (EcoTopia Science Institute, Nagoya University)
As is known, the platinoid element has an excellent catalytic ability.
The platinoid element has been used for fuel cells, for removing causative agents of photochemical smog, acid rain, etc., isotope exchange, for isotope exchange.
The nanoparticle has a large ratio of the surface area to the volume.
Many processes to form the platinoid element nanoparticle catalyst have been developed and are currently used. Those processes suffer from problems, however.
The physically crushing method has the following problems: When large particles are crushed into nanoparticles, impurity substances are mixed into the nanoparticles (poor impurity), and nanoparticles tend to agglutinate.
The chemical precipitation method needs a large-scale system for making the nanoparticle grow from a seed as chemical reaction proceeds.
Much efforts have been made to seek the best ways to form the nanoparticle catalyst all over the world. It is note that in such circumstances, the bio-process to form the nanoparticle catalyst has been created.
The researchers focused attention on the fact that specific microorganisms couple to the transuranic element, for example.
Iron-reducing bacteria were added to a platinic acid solution and a palladium acid solution. It was observed that platinoid particles of nano-scale were formed on the cell of the iron-reduction bacterium (see Fig. 1).
“Microorganism cells - platinoid particles” were placed on diatomaceous earth for the isotope exchange hydrogen (H2) with deuterium (D2) (H2 + D2 → 2HD).
The efficiency of the isotope exchange was about 6 times of that when only the platinum particles are used. Excellent catalytic ability was exhibited.
The researchers said:
1) The iron-reducing bacteria have other functions, for example, function to mineralize uranium.
2) The possibility is present that other microorganisms, for example, yeast, have excellent functions.
3) We hope to find other functions of the microorganism, to elucidate their mechanisms and to propose additional bio-processes.
4) We hope to develop new catalysts that are operable in intensive radiation conditions.
[Excerpted from Press Release by Japan Atomic Energy Agency]
2009年3月2日月曜日
The latest Reports on Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Technologies in Japan
Did you know? The most recent reports on fuel cell and hydrogen technologies in Japan are downloadable free of charge. Those reports are all written and edited by Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Technology Development Department in NEDO.
1) Development of Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Technologies 2008 to 2009, （2.76MB）, Issued on October 2008
Contents is here.
2) Industry-Academia Consortium PEFC Project To Shed Light on Fuel Cell Mechanism（2.14MB）, issued on October 2008,
Contents is here.
If any question, please ask NEDO or contact me.
1) Development of Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Technologies 2008 to 2009, （2.76MB）, Issued on October 2008
Contents is here.
2) Industry-Academia Consortium PEFC Project To Shed Light on Fuel Cell Mechanism（2.14MB）, issued on October 2008,
Contents is here.
If any question, please ask NEDO or contact me.
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