Nanotechnology Development Blog
9 February 2008 Researchers at Brookhaven National Laboratory have carried out research on nanomaterials including gold, oxygen, titanium and cerium for the possible use of next generation catalysts for fuel cells. Fuel cells are new generation energy sources where hydrogen and oxygen combine to form water and energy.
Fuel cells are becoming attractive source of producing energy due to their higher energy effeciency and zero emission. he major challenge for scientists is to reduce the carbon monooxide in hydrogen, which is formed during production ofhydrogen. Carbon monooxide acts as poison to expensive catalysts used in fuel cells.
Water-gas shift (WGS) reactions important for obtaining pure hydrogen as these reactions can convert carbon monooxide to carbon dioxide. Carbon monooxide reacts with water to form hydrogen and carbon dioxide.
Researchers at Brookhaven National Laboratory have used different combinations of nanomaterials as WGS catalysts. Researchers have found that gold-cerium oxide and gold-titanium oxide are the best catalysts and these are better than the conventional cerium and titanium catalysts.
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