The research group is now collaborating with Toyota Motor Corp. to develop fuel cell catalysts with possible real-world applications. (Pictured: Toyota hydrogen fuel cell concept vehicle, 2019.) . Credit: Unsplash/Darren Halstead.
by Wayne Lewis, University of California, Los Angeles
A study led by UCLA researchers could help accelerate the use of hydrogen as an environmentally friendly source of energy in transportation and other applications.
The team developed a method for predicting platinum alloys’ potency and stability—two key indicators of how they will perform as catalysts in hydrogen fuel cells. Then, using that technique, they designed and produced an alloy that yielded excellent results under conditions approximating real-world use. The findings are published in the journal Nature Catalysis.
“For the sustainability of our planet, we can’t keep…