The new material has the highest oxygen reduction reaction
(ORR) activity in alkaline media of any non-precious metal catalyst developed
to date.
Economical non-precious-metal catalyst capitalizes on carbon
nanotubes
Los Alamos National Laboratory scientists have designed a
new type of nanostructured-carbon-based catalyst that could pave the way for
reliable, economical next-generation batteries and alkaline fuel cells,
providing for practical use of wind- and solar-powered electricity, as well as
enhanced hybrid electric vehicles.
In a paper appearing recently in Nature Communications, Los
Alamos researchers Hoon T. Chung, Piotr Zelenay and Jong H. Won, the latter now
at the Korea Basic Science Institute, describe a new type of nitrogen-doped
carbon-nanotube catalyst. The new material has the highest oxygen reduction
reaction (ORR) activity in alkaline media of any non-precious metal catalyst
developed to date. This activity is critical for efficient storage of
electrical energy.