Scientists develop cheaper, more efficient fuel cells


Just not cheap or efficient enough.

Faster please.

Doesn't seem like they increased the efficiency of the catalyst, only changed the amount of the catalyst used. The surface area stayed the same but the catalyst layer is thinner which resulted in cost saving. Yes it is cheaper, but the cell is not more efficient. It is only efficient use of platinum.

Doesn't seem like they increased the efficiency of the catalyst, only changed the amount of the catalyst used. The surface area stayed the same but the catalyst layer is thinner which resulted in cost saving. Yes it is cheaper, but the cell is not more efficient. It is only efficient use of platinum.
So you disagree with the article which says

"...dividing normally expensive platinum metal into nanoparticles...By dispersing the platinum, each and every one of the atoms increases efficiency,"

-and if so, why? Is it perhaps because you didnt read it?

Doesn't seem like they increased the efficiency of the catalyst, only changed the amount of the catalyst used. The surface area stayed the same but the catalyst layer is thinner which resulted in cost saving. Yes it is cheaper, but the cell is not more efficient. It is only efficient use of platinum.
So you disagree with the article which says

"...dividing normally expensive platinum metal into nanoparticles...By dispersing the platinum, each and every one of the atoms increases efficiency,"

-and if so, why? Is it perhaps because you didnt read it?

Perhaps you didn't read my comment. The efficiency of platinum DID NOT increase. The cell is not more efficient by any NEW means other than in cost. Each and every atom on the surface still does the same amount of catalysis as stated in the article if you bothered to read. The inner atoms never catalyze. Making the platinum layer thinner only decreases the costs.

To continue:
By the same means you can use more platinum with the same surface area per gram and say you increase efficiency. They did not make the fuel cell more efficient, only more cost effective.

Perhaps you didn't read my comment
Perhaps you didnt read your comment. You said
Doesn't seem like they increased the efficiency of the catalyst, only changed the amount of the catalyst used.
-But the article says that the platinum itself was indeed made more efficient by turning layers of it into nanoparticles. The amount used would be irrelevant.

Try reading it again.

You guys are quibbling over details. The researchers are using platinum more efficiently because they now get more catalysis using less platinum. The platinum does not catalyze more efficiently per atom, but does per gram. You both have a point, now shut up. :-) I'm still waiting for any of this stuff to actually start to replace coal.

Strangely enough I could deposit atomic layers "utilizing atomic layer deposition " too.
This article has no new information content whatever.
You could just as well generate banana custard using a "banana custard generator"

What they are doing is laudable enough. Just not helped by a non-information announcement.
Car catalytic converter manufacturers will each have their own "atomic layer deposition" systems, to save on their cash since 1975.

This article is a dumbed down press release, if you want the details go to the nature.com link. This new method does indeed drastically increase the raw efficiency of the catalyst, not just the efficiency per amount of platinum.

Ghost is correct, Solid is wrong.

You guys are quibbling over details. The researchers are using platinum more efficiently because they now get more catalysis using less platinum. The platinum does not catalyze more efficiently per atom, but does per gram
You didnt even read the first freeking paragraph

"dividing normally expensive platinum metal into nanoparticles (or even single atoms)"
"By dispersing the platinum, each and every one of the atoms increases efficiency,"

Now show me where in the article it says anything about quantity.