Researchers in Peking University, China, have developed a catalyst that they think will enable more practical hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, which could overthrow today’s convenient but polluting combustion engines. Ding Ma and co-workers has made hydrogen and carbon dioxide (CO2) from methanol and water, which happens in traditional approaches at 200-350°C.
Ma’s team’s platinum-molybdenum carbide catalyst lowers that to 150-190°C. According to the researchers, producing enough hydrogen from methanol to power a fuel cell car travelling at 100km/h would take 6-8g of platinum. For comparison, typically catalytic converters contain 2-8g of noble metals like platinum.
Fuel cells rip electrons from hydrogen molecules at one electrode, forcing the electrons to power a circuit, and leaving protons behind. The electrons return to recombine with protons and oxygen and form water at the other electrode. Toyota’s Mirai already powers its engine with such fuel cells, emitting only water, using hydrogen compressed to 690 times atmospheric pressure in a 120 litre tank.
Title
Catalyst fuels hydrogen car
VATIS UPDATE Part
Article body