Novel, Combinational Approach to the Development of Cathode Catalysts for Fuel Cells

72814-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.