Posted on 04/29/2025 11:58:19 PM PDT by Red Badger
The new catalyst lost less than 1.1 percent power after 90,000 test cycles, far surpassing the U.S. Department of Energy’s 30,000-hour target.
Representational image: Toyota hydrogen fuel cell concept vehicle, 2019. Unsplash/Darren Halstead
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Scientists in the US have designed a new fuel catalyst that has the potential to significantly extend the lifespan of hydrogen fuel batteries to over 200,000 hours, in a bid to develop a clean energy solutions in long-haul transportation.
The research team, led by Yu Huang, PhD, a professor of materials science at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) Samueli School of Engineering, recently unveiled the groundbreaking catalyst design that combines pure platinum with a graphene-protective layer and a porous carbon support.
Capable of powering fuel cells for nearly seven times longer than the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) 2050 target which stands at 30,000 hours for heavy-duty proton exchange membrane fuel cell systems, the advancement promises to bring sustainable long-haul tracking closer to reality by tackling one of the most persistent technical challenges – durability.
Fuel cell breakthrough
Despite making up only about 5 percent of all vehicles, medium- and heavy-duty trucks are responsible for nearly a quarter of all automotive greenhouse gas emissions. While batteries offer a clean solution, their weight and slow charging times limit their use for large, long-distance vehicles.
“With a projected power output of 1.08 watts per square centimeter, fuel cells featuring the new catalyst can deliver the same performance as conventional batteries that weigh up to eight times more,” the researchers said. In contrast, hydrogen fuel cells offer faster refueling and a much lighter alternative, but persistent catalyst degradation has, until now, limited their wider adoption.
VIDEOS AT LINK.............
Fuel cells generate electricity by converting hydrogen’s chemical energy, emitting only water vapor as a byproduct. While this makes them a promising alternative for cleaner transportation, conventional platinum-alloy catalysts, used to speed up the chemical reaction, tend to lose effectiveness over time as alloying metals leach out under harsh conditions.
To tackle the issue, the researchers engineered an innovative particles-within-particles structure by embedding ultrafine platinum nanoparticles into graphene pockets, leveraging graphene’s extraordinary strength and conductivity. They then nested these graphene-encased particles within a porous carbon support material called Ketjenblack.
The design reportedly shields the platinum from the degradation typically seen in alloy-based catalysts, even during the intense voltage cycling required for heavy-duty vehicles.
Shaping the future of heavy-duty transport
“Heavy-duty fuel cell systems must withstand harsh operating conditions over long periods, making durability a key challenge,” Huang explained, adding that the pure platinum catalyst, reinforced with a graphene-based shield, prevents alloying element leaching and overcomes the weaknesses of conventional platinum alloys.
“This innovation ensures that the catalyst remains active and robust, even under the demanding conditions typical of long-haul applications,” he concludes in a press release.
The researchers were stunned by the outcome of the accelerated stress test, which simulated real-world driving conditions with 90,000 voltage cycles. The catalyst demonstrated a power loss of less than 1.1 percent, a performance far exceeding the 10 percent loss typically considered excellent.
According to Huang, this level of durability projects a system lifespan of over 200,000 hours, massively exceeding DOE’s goal of 30,000 hours for heavy-duty fuel cells.
Beyond performance, the novel technology could also make hydrogen infrastructure cheaper to deploy than nationwide electric vehicle charging networks, further accelerating the shift to cleaner trucking. If adopted widely, it could drastically reduce emissions from one of transportation’s most polluting sectors, ultimately bringing clean, efficient, long-haul trucking within reach.
The team’s achievement builds on earlier work, where they developed a fuel cell catalyst for light-duty vehicles that lasted 15,000 hours, nearly double the DOE’s 8,000-hour goal.
The study has been published in the journal Nature Nanotechnology.
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41565-025-01895-3
BTW, the answer to my rhetorical question was, “yes”.
Follow the link, you might learn something.
I did ...
No, it does not.
There is water vapor in the air you're breathing right now ... and you should be grateful for that fact. Absolutely dry air is a bit rough on the lungs.
I didn't say that there wasn't water vapor in the air.
There's an entire cycle from evaporation to condensation and precipitation.
So ... you know that there’s water vapor in the air right now ... you probably also know that (unless it’s at 100% relative humidity) it can hold more water than it currently holds. And that is why the water vapor in gasoline engine exhaust doesn’t immediately precipitate.
The issue is hydrogen fuel cell usage and its effect on the evaporation/condensation and precipitation cycle.
OK ... so if you’re concerned about that you should compare the water vapor output of a hydrogen fuel cell powered vehicle to that of a hydrocarbon internal combustion engine powered vehicle of similar performance.
Thanks - somewhat helpful. I’ll run right out now and get my PhD so I can better understand it. 😂
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