University of Dayton researcher Liming Dai helps find a cheaper way to make longer-lasting fuel cell

[OKIsItJustMe]

http://news.udayton.edu/News_Article/?contentId=22582

Move Over Platinum

University of Dayton researcher Liming Dai helps find a cheaper way to make longer-lasting fuel cells.

February 5, 2009 - Liming Dai, the University of Dayton's Wright Brothers Institute endowed chair in nanomaterials, and fellow scientists have taken a step toward a more efficient fuel cell that can be affordably mass-produced. They found that carbon nanotubes containing nitrogen are cheaper and work better than platinum in providing long-term fuel cell power.

Science Magazine will publish the findings Friday, Feb. 6.

Fuel cells convert hydrogen and oxygen to electrical power and water with no air pollution, hazardous waste or noise.

"Traditionally, fuel cells employ expensive platinum-based electrocatalysts, which cost about $4,000 for a passenger car," Dai said. "The goal is to reduce the major cost of a fuel cell in order to compete with current market technologies, including gasoline engines. Our finding is a major breakthrough toward commercialization of fuel cell technology for various applications."

…

http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/abstract/323/5915/760

[DiverDave]

1. Cant read it, have to purchase...

It does sound good tho

[OKIsItJustMe]

2. Some more information here

http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn16547-carbon-catalyst-could-herald-cutprice-fuel-cells.html

…

Carbon nanotubes had previously been shown to catalyse the fuel-cell reaction, but they were much less effective than platinum nanoparticles.

It had been thought that their slight catalytic properties were caused by traces of iron left over from the manufacturing process, but Dai's group have discovered that the iron actually hinders catalysis.

They grew nanotubes doped with a trace of nitrogen using a process called chemical vapour deposition, in which nanotubes grow up from a base of iron nanoparticles. Then they removed the iron.

…

"They are even better than platinum, long regarded as the best catalyst," says Dai. The team's device produces four times as much electric current as it would using platinum. And, while platinum nanoparticles can lose their effectiveness when they cluster together or become tainted by carbon monoxide, the nanotubes are immune to these degradations.

…

[Hydra]

3. Good

I knew they didn't need platinum to do it. I'm glad progress is being made in batteries and solar, despite the echo chamber of "It's not feasible!"