XNRGI Inc fka NPWZ

[horacescribbler]

formic acid - ADVANTAGES

I see the decision to use formic acid as fuel-cell fuel (NEAH whitepaper) as a major step in the right direction - formic acid is a perfect match for NEAHs fuel cells. There are several advantages:

1) clean production of formic acid:

formic acid production with bacterium Acetobacterium woodii

December 30, 2013: [...] Now, German researchers report a new bacterial way to interconvert H2 and formic acid. The bacterium Acetobacterium woodii performs this reaction cleanly, with a single enzyme, hydrogen-dependent CO2 reductase (HDCR). The enzyme acts without requiring cofactors that complicate the reaction. When purified, its activity depends solely on reactant pressure and concentration; it can be adjusted to interconvert H2 and HCOOH readily.

But the bacterium itself turns out to be the cleanest interconverter. The researchers found a simple way to halt bacterial growth and direct all activity to making formic acid. Biomass growth is halted by removing sodium ion. So, bacterium added to H2 and CO2 makes formic acid–which can then fill a tank.

Within the bacterium, a second enzyme also hydrogenates carbon monoxide (CO), a dangerous component of syngas. Syngas is a mixture of H2, CO2 and CO that can be produced from solid waste, and may provide an alternative to petroleum. So the bacterial reaction can provide a cheap way to extract hydrogen from the syngas. Once again, bacteria offer partners for green chemistry.

see also: science-article, report (german)

2) formic acid is less toxic than methanol

3) formic acid don't needs platin for catalysis; palladium will even work better - fuel cells would become cheaper

formic acid and palladium

best regards

horace