What is the relationship between Fuel Cells and Nanotechnology.
The current hydrogen fuel cell technology uses a catalyst — an agent that does not participate in a chemical reaction but facilitates it.
The most commonly used catalyst at the moment is platinum which at current prices is $1300 per ounce and will always be expensive due to it’s rarity and demand for industries such as jewellery and other high tech applications. Platinum is very resistant to oxidization - corrosion.
The cost of the platinum currently accounts for around 20% of the manufacturing cost of a fuel cell, which is quite significant. Since cost is a major obstacle for adoption of a hydrogen fuel cell technology worldwide cheaper replacement catalysts would seem to be called for.
Researchers in China have developed nanoparticles (small artificially made structures) with a catalytic activity up to four times greater than commercially produced catalysts. The only problem is the size. They need to do further research to reduce the size so they are better than the current catalysts. You can see the details of this research at nanotechnology as a fuel cell catalyst
It has struck the authors of this site that a hydrogen fuel cell is not in itself an invention but is a “system”. It should be thought of as a functional device - it’s function is it’s essence. By drawing upon the resources of science in many field such as nanotechnology, metallurgy and other branches of chemistry as well as the disciplines of mechanical engineering significant cost reductions can occur which will make this technology viable.
What is needed is a scientific facilitator, a specialist in communication and project management, a visionary and goal finder plus executives to get the job done. The government may throw money and the market may do also but how often is money used as a smokescreen that something is actually being done when in fact it is someone else’s money and the signatory on the check stands to lose nothing and already has his PR story prepared when the project comes to naught. The answer is to call the bluff and get something done and the PR will be that we were behind you all the way.