[E&E seminars] Tomorrow - Frank DiSalvo: Materials Challenges in Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cells

[Jameson Twomey]

Materials Challenges in Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cells

Frank DiSalvo, Cornell University

Tuesday, April 6

4:15 PM – Reception to follow

66-110 (Landau Building, 25 Ames Street)



Abstract

Fuel cells are the only technology that theoretically can convert  
chemical energy to electrical energy at nearly 100% efficiency. This  
compares to about 35 % efficient for the average power plant and  
perhaps 25-30 % for transportation vehicles.

Yet many barriers remain to realizing the full promise of fuel cell  
technology, especially for automotive applications. The main barrier  
is that the materials used in the heart of the fuel cell (the  
electrodes and membranes) are not up to the job. They are too  
expensive and have poor durability. Finally relatively few fuels can  
be directly used in the cells.

This presentation will focus on the challenge to find better electrode  
catalysts and catalyst supports. Catalysts are easily poisoned and/or  
have low activity. If nearly ideal catalysts can be found, then fuel  
cell technology has a much better chance to transform the way we use  
energy and to greatly increase the efficiency of the process. Current  
catalyst supports are based on carbon blacks, but corrode too rapidly.

In this seminar, we will discuss the research at the Energy Materials  
Center at Cornell (EMC2) that is directed at addressing the above  
challenges.

About the Speaker

The John A. Newman Professor of Physical Science at Cornell, Frank  
DiSalvo is the co-director of the Center for Future Energy Systems and  
the Cornell Fuel Cell Institute, as well as a member of the National  
Academy of Sciences and a fellow of the American Physical Society and  
Materials Research Society. He serves on the Department of Energy's  
Basic Energy Science Advisory Committee and has authored or co- 
authored more than 450 professional papers.

DiSalvo received his B.S. in physics from the Massachusetts Institute  
of Technology in 1966 and his Ph.D. in applied physics from Stanford  
University in 1971, following which he joined the research staff at  
AT&T Bell Laboratories (now Lucent Technologies), where he later  
headed several research departments. He joined Cornell¿s chemistry  
department (now the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology) in  
1986.

MITEI thanks IHS CERA for its generous support of the Seminar Series.

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