April 23, 2014

Halving hydrogen



First view of nature-inspired catalyst after ripping hydrogen apart provides insights for better, cheaper fuel cells

Like a hungry diner ripping open a dinner roll, a fuel cell catalyst that converts hydrogen into electricity must tear open a hydrogen molecule. Now researchers have captured a view of such a catalyst holding onto the two halves of its hydrogen feast. The view confirms previous hypotheses and provides insight into how to make the catalyst work better for alternative energy uses.