SwRI Fuel Cell Material Sciences: developing novel materials and processes for proton exchange membrane (PEM), fuel cell electrode assemblies, hydrogen storage and separation materials, solid oxide fuel cell interconnects, cathodes, and solid electrolytes

	SwRI engineers have fabricated 800-square-centimeter active area membrane electrode assemblies, incorporating ultralow catalyst load electrode technology.

For fuel cell technologies to become commercially accepted, new high-performance, and low-cost materials must be developed. Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) is playing a major role in developing novel materials and processes in areas such as:

• Proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell electrode assemblies

• Hydrogen storage and separation materials

• Solid oxide fuel cell interconnects, cathodes, and solid electrolytes

SwRI Fuel Cell Experience

Specific areas of effort and interest include:

• Large-area, low-cost vacuum catalyzation methods for PEM fuel cell electrodes

• Novel carbon structures as catalyst supports and hydrogen storage media

• Ultrathin precious-metal separation membranes

• Surface-modified ferrous alloys and ceramics to provide improved resistance to oxidation and carbon buildup

• Material property, surface, and interface prediction through molecular simulation

• Electrochemical process modeling

Fuel Cell Capabilities

General capabilities related to fuel cell materials include:

• Material specification and selection

• Material characterization

• Complex dielectric permittivity (temperature dependent)

• Ionic conductivity (temperature dependent)

• Electrochemical and impedance behavior

• Thermodynamic properties

• Membrane electrode assembly (MEA) lay-up and fabrication

• Polymer and organic synthesis

• Ceramic processing

For more information about material sciences capabilities at SwRI or how you can contract with SwRI, please contact Joe Redfield at jredfield@swri.org or (210)

 522-3729.