Cobalt porphyrin catalysts could improve hydrogen fuel cells
Only a single metal centre is needed to catalyse the reduction of oxygen to produce water, according to researchers in the US.
Daniel Nocera and colleagues at Massachusetts Institute of Technology have shown for the first time that single centre cobalt porphyrins anchored on carbon nanotubes and containing a proton transfer group efficiently catalyse the reduction of oxygen. It could open the door to more efficient fuel cells in the future.
Reducing oxygen to water is a key reaction involved in releasing stored energy from hydrogen fuel cells which has previously required expensive bimetallic catalysts. Nocera’s porphyrins are more efficient than existing cobalt catalysts and are made easily in two steps, so could invigorate the design of future fuel cells using cobalt over its more costly metal cousins.
Original publication: Robert McGuire Jr., Dilek K Douglas, Thomas S Teets, Jin Suntivich, Yang Shao-Horn and Daniel G Nocera, Chem. Sci., 2010
Other news from the department science
These products might interest you
Multi-Liter Hydrogen Gasgenerator by VICI
Laboratory hydrogen supply redefined
Up to 18 l/min hydrogen with 99.99997% purity and intuitive touchscreen control
CATLAB Catalysis and Thermal Analysis by Hiden Analytical
A system for catalyst characterisation, kinetic and thermodynamic measurements
Integrated Microreactor-Mass Spectrometer for Reaction Testing, TPD/R/O and Pulse Chemisorption.
