Impact/benefits:  Current fuel cell technology uses platinum, a precious metal, which makes them too expensive to produce on a large scale.  Dr. Zheng has developed a fuel cell technology that uses nanotubes, which are made out of carbon.  This design will reduce the amount of platinum needed, making fuel cells less expensive, smaller, lighter and more durable—advantages that might make them a viable option for widespread use in automobiles and in military and industrial technology.

Explanation/ background:  A fuel cell is a device that generates electricity through a chemical reaction. Every fuel cell has two electrodes, one positive and one negative, called, respectively, the anode and cathode.  The reactions that produce electricity take place at the electrodes.  Every fuel cell also has an electrolyte, which carries electrically charged particles from one electrode to the other, and a catalyst, which speeds the reactions at the electrodes.  Platinum and platinum alloys are the most efficient catalysts for speeding up chemical reactions in hydrogen fuel cells.  Platinum is the only metal that can withstand the acidic conditions inside such a cell; but it is prohibitively expensive for large-scale applications of fuel cells. Furthermore, about 90 percent of the world's platinum supply comes from just two countries--South Africa and Russia. 

Carbon nanotube membranes are highly conductive and have properties that make it possible to reduce the amount of platinum that is required in a fuel cell.  Since the membranes are thinner and lighter than current components, the fuel cell can be smaller and yet still provide the same amount of power. Known as polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells, or PEMFCs, this technology was initially developed for military and spacecraft applications at General Electric (GE).  The technology has now been extended to a wider scope of applications, with the potential to power a range of devices from mobile phones and laptops to cars, buses, boats, and houses.

Zheng's research has captured the attention of a technology company that hopes to develop it further.  Bing Energy, Inc., a manufacturer of state-of-the-art components for PEMFCs based in Chino, California, has entered into a commercialization agreement with Florida State that gives the company exclusive use of Zheng's patented technology. As part of the agreement, Zheng's team will develop several prototypes of fuel cells employing the carbon nanotube membranes.  Bing Energy representatives will then evaluate them to gauge their effectiveness and potential for mass-production.

FREEDM is one of the first “Generation-3” ERCs.  These ERCs have a mandate to enter into commercial partnerships such as this one to speed the movement of center-developed technology to the commercial marketplace. 

"What Dr. Zheng has developed is truly the 'better, faster, cheaper' story applied to fuel cells," said Richard Hennek, Bing Energy's vice president for business development. "He has cleverly utilized the latest in nanotechnology to provide a dramatically better solution for the PEM fuel cell. Performance improvements of 40-plus percent, durability improvements of 25 percent, and all at a lower cost make for a compelling story. We at Bing Energy Inc. are truly excited to be working with Dr. Zheng and FSU to bring this technology to the marketplace."
While a commercialization agreement provides no guarantee that a product will ultimately make it to the marketplace, Florida State officials nevertheless expressed satisfaction that university-generated technology was deemed worthy of a formal relationship with Bing Energy Inc.

ERC for Future Renewable Electric Energy Delivery and Management (FREEDM) Systems
http://www.freedm.ncsu.edu

Return to previous page