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Changing fuel cell catalyst shape would dramatically increase efficiency, lower cost

Jagged platinum nanowires are made by removing nickel from a platinum-nickel alloy.
Jagged platinum nanowires are made by removing nickel from a platinum-nickel alloy.


UCLA professors Xiangfeng Duan, Yu Huang, and William Goddard have engineered more efficient platinum-reliant fuel cells, resulting in increased reaction efficiency and power generation rate. Because the only byproduct of platinum-powered fuel cells is water vapor, they present an appealing renewable technology for vehicles. Duan, Huang, and Goddard’s research will help to make this technology more cost-efficient, rendering its implementation more viable on a practical scale.

Read more at UCLA Newsroom