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Novel,
Combinational Approach to the Development of Cathode Catalysts for Fuel Cells--Farasis
Energy, Inc., 851 W. Midway Avenue, Alameda, CA
94501; 510-864-4800
Dr.
Keith D. Kepler, Principal Investigator,
Dr.
Keith D. Kepler, Business Official,
DOE
Grant No. DE-FG02-03ER83656
Amount:
$749,797
Despite the potential positive impact that fuel cell powered vehicles and
other systems and devices will have on the environment and national energy
efficiency, their current cost is generally too high for widespread commercial
introduction. A significant portion
of the expense arises from the high cost of the platinum catalysts used at the
anode and cathode. Therefore, there
is a great need to identify new, higher efficiency, lower cost catalysts for
fuel cells. This project will
develop a novel, high-throughput combinatorial approach to the discovery and
development of high activity catalysts for fuel cells.
In Phase I, a prototype combinatorial screening process and equipment was
designed, built, and successfully demonstrated.
Sample preparation techniques were developed, and an initial screening
was conducted for several classes of promising nobel and non-nobel metal based,
low-cost, oxygen reduction catalysts. In
Phase II, the combinatorial screening process will be scaled up, allowing the
pursuit of several complex catalyst development strategies that otherwise would
take many years. The goal will be an
order of magnitude increase in the performance/cost ratio, with the most
promising catalyst being scaled up for customer evaluation.
Commercial
Applications and Other Benefits as
described by awardee: The
combinatorial approach to developing catalysts should be broadly applicable to
many potential catalyst systems for fuel cell anodes and cathodes used in a
broad range of applications, including automotive, stationary and portable
power, telecommunications, and military markets.
A lower cost fuel cell should allow greater market penetration and wider
use of these environmentally friendly energy systems.