Assessing the Technical and Business Feasibility of Highly-active and Stable Intermetallic Pt-alloy Catalysts for Application in PEMFCs

Project description

Next-generation intermetallic platinum-alloy catalysts for proton exchange membrane fuel cells

Proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) are important in the race towards cutting greenhouse gas emissions in both the transport and energy sectors. For their efficient operation, PEMFCs require large quantities of scarce and expensive platinum present in the catalyst. The ERC-funded StableCat project identified crucial weaknesses in the commercial platinum-based catalysts and obtained novel atomic-scale structural understanding. With that, researchers devised a new synthesis strategy that enables them to combine three crucial pillars within the same catalyst material – high platinum surface area, catalytic activity and durability. This new strategy also enabled them to achieve a 50 % reduction of required platinum for efficient PEMFC operation already today, with the full potential yet to be unleashed.

Fields of science

• engineering and technology › environmental engineering › energy and fuels › fuel cell
• social sciences › economics and business

Programme(s)

• H2020-EU.1.1. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - European Research Council (ERC)

Topic(s)

• ERC-2020-POC - Call for proposals for ERC Proof of Concept Grant

Call for proposal

ERC-2020-PoC
See other projects for this call

Funding Scheme

ERC-POC-LS - ERC Proof of Concept Lump Sum Pilot

Host institution

KEMIJSKI INSTITUT

Address

Hajdrihova 19
1000 Ljubljana
Slovenia

Activity type

Research Organisations

EU contribution

€ 80 000

Beneficiaries (2)

KEMIJSKI INSTITUT

Slovenia

EU contribution

€ 80 000

Address

Hajdrihova 19
1000 Ljubljana

Activity type

Research Organisations

CENTER ODLICNOSTI NIZKOOGLJICNE TEHNOLOGIJE ZAVOD

Slovenia

EU contribution

€ 70 000

Address

Hajdrihova Ulica 19
1000 Ljubljana

Activity type

Research Organisations