Archives: Fuel Cells

Mixed reactant fuel cells may be the future according to Mantra Energy Alternatives Ltd. Two advantages of this type of fuel cell are no expensive platinum will be used and there will be no membranes to foul. According to CNN, “A version of Mantra’s ‘Mixed-Reactant Fuel Cell’ will be designed specifically for integration into vehicles • Read More »

Loofahs, which come from the ripened fruit of the loofah plant, have long been used for exfoliating skin, turning calloused feet soft like a baby’s behind. Now scientists are using this fibrous loofah plant in a microbial fuel cell (MFC) to treat waste and create electricity. According to ACS.org, “Recently, researchers have turned to plant • Read More »

University of Birmingham researchers have created a gelatin (say Jell-O!) structure to take the place of expensive and rare metal platinum in fuel cells. The researchers use gelatin combined with iron and magnesium salts to create the catalyst. According to the University of Birmingham, “The Birmingham chemists have combined gelatin – the same gelatin that • Read More »

In two separate stories today, platinum is either being drastically reduced or eliminated altogether in hydrogen fuel cells. In the first case, the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI) has reduced the amount of platinum used in a fuel cell by five times in a recent experiment. According to PSI, “An international team of researchers involving the • Read More »

One of the long-time issues with hydrogen fuel cells for cars has been durability. If a fuel cell has to compete with gasoline or diesel engines for customers then they need to last nearly as long if not excel in durability. Up until now this hasn’t been the case. ACAL Energy has recently created such • Read More »

Yesterday I had talked about nitrogen doped carbon nanotubes for fuel cells which is a platinum-free invention created by the researchers at the Los Alamos National Laboratory. Today I would like to talk about how researchers in Korea, at the Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), invented edge-halogenated graphene nanoplatelets for use in • Read More »

Researchers at the Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) have invented a new type of catalyst that involves nitrogen doped carbon nanotubes that could lead to cheaper alkaline fuel cells and batteries. The new technology is robust and doesn’t rely on precious metals. According to LANL, “The new catalyst doesn’t use precious metals such as platinum, • Read More »

Dr. Radenka Maric, a researcher at the University of Connecticut has discovered how to use 10 times less catalyst in PEM Fuel Cells. Dr. Maric uses the Reactive Spray Deposition Technique to achieve results. According to UConn, “The focuses of this program is on an adaptation of the Reactive Spray Deposition Technique for PEM Catalyst • Read More »