2012年6月7日木曜日

New FC platinum-reduction technology-2

The oxygen reduction reaction activity of the electrodes of the fuel cell is low. 
To increase the reaction activity, a large amount of platinum has been used for the electrode material of the fuel cell.  How to reduce the amount of the platinum used is one of the problems to be urgently solved. 
A platinum – cerium oxide (auxiliary catalyst) nano-composite material presented one of the solutions to the problem. It exhibits an excellent oxygen reduction reaction activity.  The reaction activity is higher than of the platinum. 
A mechanism to increase the reaction mechanism in the auxiliary catalyst was experimentally elucidated through the in-situ measurement using X-rays that are radiated by utilizing Spring-8 (= Super Photon ring-8, the world's largest synchrotron radiation facility). 
The successful elucidation will pave the way of developing electrode materials  having further enhanced properties.  >> More

2012年6月5日火曜日

New FC platinum-reduction technology-1


Metal nano-particles coagulate with one another. Electrode catalyst activity decreases.  This necessitates use of a large amount of rare metal (e.g., platinum).   Reduction of platinum used is a crying need in this field. 
One solution has successfully been presented.  It is a metal nano-particle solubilizing technology. 
The new technology succeeded in increasing the catalytic activity at the catalyst carried electrodes of the fuel cell by 15 times when compared with the conventional technology.
Reducing the use amount of platinum to 1/100 will be within the capability of the technology.  >> More