SBIR Phase II: Renewable Platinum Catalyst for Fuel Cell Applications

The broader/commercial impact of this Small Business Innovation Research Phase II project lies in addressing key challenges hindering widespread adoption of hydrogen fuel cells: their high cost due to expensive platinum catalysts, and their limited operational lifespan. The primary expense in fuel cells comes from the use of platinum catalysts, which are both costly and subject to degradation over time. This project introduces an innovative process that renews these catalysts directly within assembled fuel cells, eliminating the need for disassembly. By enabling in-situ catalyst renewal, the technology is expected to extend the operational lifetime of fuel cells from 150,000 miles to 1.2 million miles, while also cutting total ownership costs in half. This advancement not only positions the United States as a leader in the hydrogen economy but also strengthens national security by varying energy sources, enhancing energy resilience, and creating employment opportunities. This project addresses a critical challenge in extending hydrogen fuel cell lifespan by pioneering a high-risk, in-situ electrocatalyst renewal process that circumvents stack disassembly. It will control catalyst transfer within assembled fuel cell electrodes quickly and at room temperature such that it results in a like-new platinum distribution at the electrode surface; a feat not previously achieved in the field. A range of advanced techniques will be employed to study platinum movement within fuel cell electrodes, correlating particle morphology and crystal structure, and integrating these insights into an artificial intelligence-driven model for predictive efficiency. The project will also focus on optimizing the renewal process for commercial degraded fuel cells, enhance their polarization performance and achieve uniform redeposition of platinum particles. This methodology also involves scaling up to multi-cell stacks, with the development of hardware and diagnostic protocols to ensure consistent platinum particle redeposition. This integrated approach is designed to commercialize this transformative technology for the hydrogen economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.