Brown Chemists Create More Efficient Palladium Fuel Cell Catalysts

[OKIsItJustMe]

http://news.brown.edu/pressreleases/2009/03/palladium

March 17, 2009 | Contact: Richard Lewis | [phone]

Brown Chemists Create More Efficient Palladium Fuel Cell Catalysts

Two Brown University chemists have overcome a challenge to fuel cell reactions using palladium catalysts. The scientists produced palladium nanoparticles with about 40 percent greater active surface area than commercially available palladium particles, and the nanoparticles remain intact four times longer. Results appear in the online edition of the Journal of the American Chemical Society.

PROVIDENCE, R.I. — Even small devices need power, and much of that juice comes from fuel cells. As these devices become even smaller, the rush is on to find more efficient ways to power them.

In the last several years, scientists have discovered that palladium, a metal, is a strong candidate for providing that initial boost that helps fuel cells go. Palladium is far cheaper than another popular fuel cell catalyst, platinum, and it’s more abundant.

But researchers have wrestled with creating palladium nanoparticles with enough active surface area to make catalysis efficient in fuel cells while preventing particles from clumping together during the chemical processes that convert a fuel source to electricity. Two Brown University chemists have found a way to overcome those challenges.

The scientists report in the online edition of the Journal of the American Chemical Society that they have produced palladium nanoparticles with about 40 percent greater surface area than commercially available palladium particles. The Brown catalysts also remain intact four times longer than what’s currently available.

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[MindPilot]

1. Is the chemists' skin color really an issue here?

Seriously, this is cool; I think we are close to a tipping point where the advancements in new fuel cells and batteries will come very quickly.

[formercia]

3. At least they didn't call them little brown chemists

:rofl:

Yes, I know it's Brown University, for all you lurking peckerwoods that like to get in peoples' shit.

[eppur_se_muova]

5. Well, if they were called 'chemists of color', it would sound like ...

they worked in the dye industry. :silly:

[GreenPartyVoter]

6. You are right, there.

[formercia]

2. Neat

This is potentially very important. Palladium is unique in that it can absorb over 900 times its own weight in Hydrogen at room temperature and atmospheric pressure.
One of the big problems with using Hydrogen as fuel is the problem of transporting and storing it. Compressed Hydrogen gas must be stored in heavy-walled cylinders due to the property that, the molecules of Hydrogen gas are so small that they can permeate the walls of the cylinder and escape.

[azul]

4. At least the chances are that GM won't be buying up this patent. nt

[IDemo]

7. I'll wait until green chemists weigh in on this