Jelly could replace platinum in fuel cells
A substance made from gelatin could be used to replace platinum in fuel cells, according to research published by University of Birmingham, England scientists. The researchers combined gelatin — you know, the same substance used to make jelly — with iron and magnesium to create a material that performs almost as well as a commercial platinum catalyst, but is considerably cheaper. The new material performs so well because the iron and magnesium salts cause the gelatin to foam, creating a sponge-like structure. When this is heated, nanoparticles of a compound called iron carbide (Fe3 C) form inside the sponge. These nanoparticles are dissolved, leaving tiny holes rather like hollow capsules, in the walls of the sponge. Together, the capsules and the sponge-structure create an extremely high surface area, which is crucial for allowing the gaseous reactants to flow through the fuel cell catalyst. Fuel cells are used to generate electricity and they do this by combining hydrogen and oxygen. The automotive industry is interested in using fuel cells as a means of powering cars with hydrogen instead of using diminishing fossil fuels. One of the major hurdles to this is that the catalysts used in the fuel cells are made of extremely expensive materials including platinum. The new material creates an effective material that offers performance in generating electricity comparable to a commercial platinum catalyst. For more information, contact Kate Chapple ( ).
Nearly 6 billion portable battery cells to be shipped annually by 2023
According to a new report from Navigant Research, worldwide unit shipments of battery cells for portable power applications will grow from 3.6 billion in 2013 to nearly 6 billion in 2023. The report, “”, examines the advanced battery industry for portable devices. It sizes the global market and provides a 10-year forecast of advanced batteries (rechargeable batteries only) for portable power applications. Global market projections are provided for five major segments of the portable device market, including consumer electronics (which is further broken down into mobile phones, tablets, laptops, and wearable devices), defense systems, medical devices, power tools, and oil & gas drilling operations. The report also segments the forecasts by region, energy capacity (MWh), power capacity (MW), unit sales, and revenue. An Executive Summary of the report is available for free download on the .
How electric vehicles will be charged
The report ‘’ covers the full picture of how electric vehicles by land, water and air will be externally charged. Charger market value will increase more than fivefold over the decade, In this new report IDTechEx examines slow, fast and fastest charging stations, including contactless charging and battery swapping, with an appraisal of the pros and cons. Each option is illustrated by supplier profiles. For more information,
Advanced energy meeting
The Advanced Energy Technology Congress takes place Nov 12 to 15, 2013 in San Diego, CA. It includes three key industry meetings covering lithium battery power, next generation batteries, advanced energy, and battery safety. For more information visit
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