Concept Development¶
My final project development has actually begun since the very start of Fab Academy. I haven’t mentioned this anywhere.. But my funding for joining Fab Academy (and my other 2 colleagues) is half-sponsored by Fab Lab Bali’s sponsor, ViriyaENB, as part of the grant that we got for the Hydrogen Village project – with the expectation of not only we develop our capacity as Fab Lab team members, but also we use this Fab Academy as a vehicle to develop our first initial prototype for Green Hydrogen Village. Therefore, since the very start.. all three of us at Fab Lab Bali has assessed which part of the Green Hydrogen Village project we would like to take on for our final project.
Initial Idea: Portable Biomaterial Lab¶
Rico and Neil mentioned from the very start that our final project will not be our life’s masterpiece. It’s meant to be more of a showcase of what we’ve learned throughout the program. This point is emphasized to help us understand that the project doesn’t need to be extraordinary to qualify as a final project.
While I agree with this, developing a final project requires significant commitment, and it’s a long journey. Therefore, it’s important for me to stay motivated throughout the process. This means choosing a project that not only fulfills the academy’s requirements and meets our funder’s expectations but also aligns with my passions. It should be something I’m curious about and eager to explore and learn more about.
From the beginning, I’ve wanted to work on something related to biomaterials, material alternatives, frugal innovations, and regenerative design. Conducting biomaterial research and experiments independently can be challenging, especially without access to labs, facilities, or communities. Yet, there are incredible local material resources waiting to be explored. Therefore, I’m passionate about democratizing access to tools that can accelerate the biomaterial innovation landscape in Indonesia.
In this regard, I’m highly inspired by the work Manu Prakash does at Prakash Labs. My initial idea, as discussed in my final project proposal, was to create a portable biomaterial workstation.
What if we can hack the locally available lunch box to make portable biomaterial workstation? making it frugal and more accessible to the locals?
However, this concept doesn’t directly align with our Hydrogen Village research goals.
Fortunately, one of the Green Hydrogen Village project’s research lines involves material science innovation, specifically finding the most effective and non-toxic catalyst for green hydrogen production, an area that I am very interested in.
Idea Iteration: Non-Toxic Catalyst Lab Kit¶
Since Fab Academy’s final project requirement should incorporate an embedded input, process, and output system, the project cannot focus solely on material innovation. This led me to the second idea, which still resonates with my initial concept: designing a lab device to aid in the green hydrogen’s non-toxic catalyst research.
What if we can make a low-cost and easy-to-use device that can measure the parameters needed for green catalyst hydrogen research?
The idea is to create a portable, low-cost green electrolysis lab capable of measuring various parameters essential for green catalyst hydrogen research. This aims to find the most effective and environmentally-safe catalyst that can be used by the community. It stems from the challenges of conducting catalyst research and the potential hazardous by-products of the green hydrogen electrolysis process, which is resulted from the chemical reactions of the catalyst materials. By customizing our own measurement device, we can expedite the identification of ideal catalysts. Moreover:
What if everyone could contribute to the research process?
By incorporating local everyday objects, such as classic glass jars found in most homes, we can use this as an educational tool to promote the citizen science movement that would encourage local community participation in discovering non-toxic catalysts for the green hydrogen production.
Circular inspo: Re-Mix Blender by OpenFUnk
What I think I know
In order to achieve this, I already have some leads and assumption sof how hydrogen electrolysis works. Based on my desk research, here’s what I think I can measure as parameters for the device:
Measuring electrocatalysis effectivity for producing the most hydrogen:
- Electrical conductivity
- pH level
- Temperature
- H2 rich level (if possible)
Measuring by-product impact:
- Total Dissolved Solids
- Toxic contaminants levels
Questions
However, in order to properly answer the challenge, proper questions are need to be addressed:
- The first obvious one would be understanding the electrolysis process itself. How does hydrogen electrolysis process works?
- The next one would be, what makes a high-performing green hydrogen’s electrolysis actvity? What parameters in the catalyst contributes in producing the most hydrogen gas? How do you evaluate the performance of a catalyst material for green hydrogen electrolysis?
- Then, what would be the by-product of the electrolysis process? How safe is it? How should we handle it?
- Which then leads us to the question of can we find an alternative materials that is abundant locally that can be a subsitute for current expensive catalyst material?
Next Step
As I am not a scientist and rely on online resources for learning, it would be ideal to consult with a material scientist specializing in hydrogen research. Fortunately, Fab Lab Bali is in the process of establishing partnerships with BRIN (Indonesia’s National Research and Innovation Agency) and IFHE (Indonesia Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Energy Association). Therefore, I plan to have more in-depth consultations and collaborations with scientists in this field, even after my Fab Academy journey concludes.
Further Development¶
We visited BRIN and IFHE scientist on April, around a month before our final project presentation. After having consultation with them, turns out there are many types of hydrogen electrolysis process. I’ve touched upon this a bit in my research & references page. And it turns out that to properly measure the electrocatalytic performance of a catalyst, there is a proper lab instrument called Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS)
Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) is an essential analytical technique in researching catalysts for hydrogen fuel cells, as it enables the detailed analysis of the electrochemical properties and behaviors at the electrode-electrolyte interface. By applying an alternating current (AC) signal over a range of frequencies, EIS measures the system’s impedance, providing insights into charge transfer processes, reaction kinetics, and material properties of the catalysts. This non-destructive method allows for the characterization and optimization of catalyst performance, aiding in the development of more efficient and durable hydrogen fuel cells.
As I continue my research, I have come to understand that measuring the performance of hydrogen electrolysis in our project requires attention to two key parameters. Given our focus on frugality, we are developing the HHO-type (alkaline) electrolysis process. The performance of this process is primarily influenced by the electrolyte solution and the material of the electrodes used. Additionally, I discovered an electrochemical device called an electrolytic cell kit, which includes a reference electrode. This kit will be invaluable in optimizing and measuring the performance of our electrolysis setup in the future.
Obviously, I need to conduct more research on this topic. However, I now have a clearer direction for future development. It’s not just about measuring the performance of the electrolyte but also identifying the most suitable material for the electrodes, where the electrolysis occurs.
Initially, I was still determined to detect toxicity for my final project. However, after consulting with various experts, including a scientist from BRIN and Neil during class, I realized that measuring toxicity levels is quite challenging within the given time frame, and not many people have done it. Therefore, to ensure the completion of my final project, I decided to focus on measuring electrical conductivity, TDS levels, and temperature for now.
Reflection¶
As you can see, at this point in time, I was still exploring how to refine my final project concept. I was considering how to integrate the insights gained from consulting with the BRIN scientist. I wasn’t entirely clear on the overall design, which made it difficult to proceed. However, with time running out, and as Neil said “Sometimes, you have to kill your project”, I realized I needed to drop my obsessions and focus on the first spiral development for now.
Related Weekly Links: