Showa Denko Develops Cheap Platinum Alternative PEFC with High Efficiency

In what promises to be a significant advancement Showa Denko (SDK) and NEDO have announced the work of Professor Oota of Yokohama University who has apparently produced PEFC (Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cell) without using the precious metal Platinum. Using Niobium and Titanium in combination with nitrogen oxides and carbon.

PEFCs generate power through chemical reactions of hydrogen and oxygen, contributing to the reduction of CO2 emissions and enabling the production of compact and light-weight cells. Thus, PEFCs are expected to be widely used as power sources for vehicles, mobile devices and homes.

As the newly developed Nb- and Ti-based catalysts have lower solubility than platinum, they will enable substantial cost reductions and longer life of PEFCs. Based on very-fine-particle manufacturing technologies and high-conductivity carbon materials, SDK will further improve the catalyst performance and establish volume production technologies to encourage the use of the new catalysts in fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs), mobile devices and homes. Showa Denki