Polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cells often underperform due to high overpotentials caused by sluggish kinetics. Specifically, the Pt-catalyzed oxygen reduction reaction at the cathode renders the energy efficiency well below the thermodynamic limit.
Researchers at Stanford are developing hypophosphite catalysts made of nickel phosphide, a non-precious metal based material. Hypophosphite is a safe, non-toxic material with high potential for use in fuel cells.
Researchers in Prof. Thomas Jaramillo's laboratory have developed an electrochemical method for local production of ammonia that simultaneously solves an environmental problem while also producing a valuable chemical product with a massive global market.
Stanford researchers at the Jaramillo, Nørskov, and Cargnello Labs have developed an improved system to generate NH3 (ammonia) from N2 and H2O via a low-pressure, electro-thermochemical, sustainable alternative to the conventional Haber-Bosch p