Hydrogen at the 21st Dresden Science Night

On the evening of June 14, 2024, it was that time again in Dresden - a night dedicated solely to science. Under the motto "United by Science", the 21st Dresden Science Night offered a bridge between research and the public. 30,000 guests were able to experience research first-hand at 910 events at the Technical University and many Institutes.

Cluster G (Electrocatalysts for a competitive hydrogen economy) of the Boysen-TUD- Research Training Group was also represented with the intention of communicating catalysis research to the outside world in an understandable way. Doctoral students Lairana Lima Duarte (Project G1) and Stefan Röher (Project G2), together with student assistants Carmen Helbig and Megha Koottungal, explained the storage of electrical energy using hydrogen. The production and storage of hydrogen was carried out using a PV module and a PEM electrolyzer. The gases resulting from the electrolysis were then used again in a PEM fuel cell to recover the electrical energy. This recovery requires catalysts, which is the subject of research in Cluster G. In order to bring this fact and the mode of action of catalysts closer to people and especially to students, the board game "Journey of an Oxygen" was developed a year earlier by the doctoral students of Cluster G (RTG reported). Visitors were able to playfully learn which chemical steps the various materials go through and what makes a good catalyst for oxygen reduction.

© Boysen-TUD-GRK

The stand was well attended and there were exciting discussions of all kinds, be it about the principles of the technology presented, the state of research on this and its possible applications. On this evening, the RTG fellows were able to inform interested members of the public about the energy transition from a scientific perspective, as well as the opportunities and challenges of future technologies.

Translated with DeepL.com (free version)