A nitrogen doped carbon-coated nickel anode can catalyze an essential reaction in hydrogen fuel cells at a fraction of the cost of the precious metals currently used, Cornell University researchers have found.
The new discovery could accelerate the widespread use of hydrogen fuel cells, which hold great promise as efficient, clean energy sources for vehicles and other applications.
It's one of a string of discoveries for the Héctor D. Abruña lab in their ongoing search for active, inexpensive, durable catalysts for use in alkaline fuel cells.
"This finding makes progress toward using efficient, clean hydrogen fuel cells in place of fossil fuels," said Abruña, professor in the department of chemistry and chemical biology at Cornell University.
The results published March 21 in "A Completely Precious-Metal-Free Alkaline Fuel Cell With Enhanced Performance Using a Carbon-Coated Nickel Anode," in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
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