May 23, 2014

Need a new fuel cell? Let’s print one using inkjet printing!



Researchers at DTU Energy Conversion has transformed an ordinary HP 1000 ink jet printer into a printer able to print efficient energy conversion devices such as Solid Oxide Fuel Cells (SOFC).

SOFCs have attracted increasing attention over the last two decades due to high energy conversion efficiency, efficiency, fuel flexibility and low environmental impact, but the technology still has some challenges related to cost and durability before gaining entry at commercial markets. Some of those challenges might be solved using inkjet printers, both as a development tool to reduce  the design-prototype-test cycle time for the development of new cell types, and as a manufacturing tool where entire SOFC stacks are printed using significantly smaller amounts of materials than traditional manufacturing processes.