Researchers from ETH Zurich and TU Nanyang in Singapore have found a way to produce green energy from chicken feathers. They take the keratin in chicken feathers and use it to replace highly toxic chemicals in fuel cells.
Fuel cells generate electrical energy from the chemical reaction of hydrogen and oxygen. The chemical reaction results in the production of electrical energy, water and heat as byproducts.
The heart of a fuel cell is a membrane that allows protons (hydrogen ions) to pass through, while preventing electrons from passing through. This separation of protons and electrons allows the protons to flow through the membrane while the electrons are passed through an external circuit to generate electrical energy.
According to the ETH, highly toxic chemicals, so-called PFAS, have been used for such membranes. They are expensive and cannot be broken down by the environment. The researchers have now developed a membrane consisting of the protein keratin from chicken feathers. This is available in large quantities, according to ETH, because it consists of 90 percent of chicken feathers.
Use instead of burning
About 40 million tons of chicken feathers are burned every year, releasing large amounts of CO2 and toxic gases such as sulfur dioxide. Using a simple process, the researchers extract keratin from the feathers and convert it into fine fibers called amyloid fibrils. These are ultimately used in the membrane.
However, a number of challenges still need to be overcome before this new, patented technology can be implemented. In a next step, the researchers want to test how durable their keratin membrane is. Moreover, according to the university, hydrogen has not yet been established as a sustainable energy source.
Source: Krone
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