To improve performance of fuel cells using platinum-supported graphene

We delivered our electrospinning system NANON-01B to the Energy Conversion System Lab of Professor

Tabe and Associate Professor Uemura at Hokkaido National University.

The Lab is making a research of improving performance of fuel cells using platinum-supported graphene.

The outline and the schema by Associate Professor Uemura are as follows.

Making the best structure of the catalyst layer where hydrogen and oxygen react to realize higher performance

and lower cost of fuel cells.

Conventional catalyst layers have 10μm-thick porous structures where platinum-supported

carbon nanoparticles are covered with polymers (ionomer).

Hydrogen ions (protons) will be carried by ionomers to the surface of platinum when generating electricity,

however, the performance of generation will decrease because ionomers will be a factor to impede

transportation of oxygen.

Then, our research group has started research and development of a brand new catalyst layer structure

to decrease impedance of transportation of oxygen using platinum-supported graphene.

In the experiments we are planning to form porous structures utilizing characteristics of nanofibers to improve

performance of fuel cells.

William Smith Clark (U.S.)
Botanist and Agronomist
Invited to Sapporo Agricultural School (currently
Sapporo National University) in 1876 and taught
students natural science.
Famous for his words “Boys, be ambitious!”