The Fuel Cell Nanomaterials Centre based at the University of Yamanashi in Japan has set out three areas of research which will help it achieve its key objective of putting the materials it develops into practical use for fuel cell vehicles by 2025. The fundamental technology required for this will be developed by 2019, with the team aiming to realise a 10-fold increase in the cost performance compared to that of the conventional fuel cell. The first area of research is the creation of a new concept for the cathode catalysts material. "We hope to create a new concept for the dramatic improvement of activity and durability of the cathode catalyst via analysis of Pt-skin alloy catalysts, carbon supports, conductive ceramics, as well as the detailed structure of their interfaces and surface electronic states," explains Professor Katsuyoshi Kakinuma, the project's Principal Investigator. "The effects of the new concepts will be verified via measurements on the carbon-support-based and ceramic-support-based cathode catalysts and MEAs using those catalysts." The second area of research is the creation of a new concept for the electrolyte material, where the team will create a highly durable, highly conductive electrolyte material, even under the fuel cell operating conditions of a wide range of temperatures and humidity. The third area is the creation of a new concept for next-generation anode catalysts with higher resistance to impurities. The team will establish design guidelines for anode catalysts that can enable low-platinum usage, high robustness and high durability, via evaluation of MEAs using those catalysts.
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