Physical Sciences Division Synthetic Molecule First Electricity-
Making Catalyst to Use Iron to Split Hydrogen Gas Fast and
efficient biologically inspired catalyst could someday make fuel
cells cheaper Burning hydrogen in a fuel cell generates an
electrical current. A new iron-based catalyst might help make
those fuel cells less expensive. Results: A fast and efficient
iron-based catalyst that splits hydrogen gas to make electricity
-- necessary to make fuel cells more economical -- was reported
by researchers at the Center for Molecular Electrocatalysis,
based at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. The catalyst can
split hydrogen as fast as two molecules per second with an
efficiency approaching those of commercial catalysts. Why It
Matters: The result moves chemists and engineers one step closer
to widely affordable fuel cells. "A drawback with today's fuel
cells is that the platinum they use is more than a thousand
times more expensive than iron," said chemist Dr. R. Morris
Bullock, who leads the resear