A £1.1 million project aimed at creating new platinum based catalyst layer designs for fuel cells has been awarded funding by the Technology Strategy Board. Johnson Matthey Fuel Cells Ltd is leading the NECLASS project (Nano- Engineered Catalyst Layers and Sub-Structures), and together with partners Qudos Technology Ltd, Teer Coatings Ltd and Thomas Swan & Co. Ltd, is developing novel micro-and nano-structured materials to enable a significantly increased oxygen reduction mass activity of platinum within the fuel cell catalyst layers.
Effective use of the precious metal platinum in the catalyst layers is one of the keys to unlocking the widespread commercialisation of the more energy efficient fuel cell power generation technology.
Qudos Technology is investigating micro-scale templating of catalyst layers and interfaces to increase the interfacial area and the access and egress of the reactants and products to the active layer, whereas at the nano-scale Teer Coatings is developing thin conformal Pt coatings onto carbon particulate and fibre materials by physical vapour deposition.
Thomas Swan is studying the surface functionalisation of carbon nanotubes for application as the catalyst support in the catalyst layer. Johnson Matthey Fuel Cells will integrate these complementary developments into membrane electrode assemblies (MEAs) and test them in practical fuel cells.
