Fuel cells get a little 'bling'

Platinum is a great electrocatalyst for fuel cells but the metal doesn't last long and it loses efficiency over time. Now researchers at Brookhaven National Laboratory have added gold clusters to the platinum, and the results are quite promising. A report in Fuel Cell Works is full of scientific lingo but also emphasizes the potential for fuel-cell vehicles if this laboratory fix works in the field. This discovery came as a result of the Department of Energy's Hydrogen Program initiated by the Bush administration.

[Source: Brookhaven National Laboratory via Fuel Cell Works]