#Fuelcell Breakthrough Aims at Commercialization

All-electric cars today must lash together hundreds of lithium-ion batteries to get enough power, but fuel cells would fix that if only they could overcome poisoning problems that limit their lifetime, which these researchers claim to have done. Look for longer-lived fuel cells to begin replacing traditional batteries within five years. RColinJohnson @NextGenLog


Hydrogen fuel cells use platinum anodes that fail if poisoned, but nanotech materials could solve that problem.

Fuel cells have been ready for commercialization for years, albeit only for use with pure hydrogen—easy to purchase for the lab, but expensive to mass produce. Even the best fuel cell designs become poisoned by impurities in hydrogen derived from natural gas—the most abundant source—causing them to fail prematurely. Now Cornell University scientists working for the U.S. Department of Energy (DoE) believe they have a cure using nanotechnology that could make hydrogen fuel cells commercially viable.
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