No, this isn’t April Fool’s Day – scientists at the University of Delaware are developing a new low-cost material for hydrogen storage in the form of carbonised chicken feathers.
According to the University, the chicken feathers could meet the Department of Energy’s (DOE) requirements for hydrogen storage and are competitive with carbon nanotubes and metal hydrates but cost only a tiny fraction by comparison.
The DOE’s 2010 and 2015 hydrogen storage targets are 6 wt% and 9 wt% (gravimetric capacity); 45 and 81 grams H2 per L (volumetric capacity); and $4 and $2 per kWh (storage cost), respectively. In an effort to solve this, many materials have been tried and tested but most are too expensive or their disposal methods are questionable.
So the University of Delaware set about developing the low cost hydrogen storage substrates from an abundant waste material – in this case chicken feathers. The feathers comprise of keratin, a natural protein that forms hollow tubes. So when the chicken feathers are heat-treated, their surface area increases enabling more hydrogen adsorption rather than raw feather fibres.
It is estimated that the chicken feather fibres can absorb as much or more than carbon nanotubes. Now Dr Richard Wool, professor of chemical engineering and director of the Affordable Composites from Renewable Resources program at the University of Delaware in Newark, along with his colleagues, are working on ways to transform chicken feather fibres into a number of other products including lightweight car parts.
