Fuel cells provide alternative energy technology to current options and offer potential for sustainability and green chemistry. Main issues affecting the commercialization of fuel cells at large scale are deficiencies in current proton conducting membranes and electro-catalysts at low to moderate temperatures. Current membranes cannot perform well at low humidity and temperatures and have serious stability and durability drawbacks. At the same time, concerns arise regarding the stability of chemical or biochemical catalysts and the associated support materials in a fuel-cell environment. Either improved catalysts for low temperature fuel cells or new technologies for operating them at moderate temperatures are needed. At such temperatures, excellent fuel electro-oxidation activity over inexpensive base materials and a simple thermal management system would be possible. We invite submission of papers describing development of (1) novel efficient chemical or biological catalysts for fuel oxidation, and or (2) new fuel cell membranes or materials technologies to efficiently operate fuel cells at low to moderate temperatures.

Catalysis and Reaction Engineering Division