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Chemists receive grant to develop automotive fuel cells
Clemson University’s Steve Creager, Dennis Smith and Darryl
DesMarteau are part of a U.S. Department of Energy initiative to
make hydrogen fuel cell cars a reality. The challenge is to develop
the technology that will make refueling stations available, practical
and affordable to Americans by 2020. The $750,000 grant funds research
to develop a fuel cell membrane that will use hydrogen fuel to convert
chemical energy into electrical energy.
“This builds upon 23 years of expertise in this particular
area, starting with professor DesMarteau at Clemson,” said
team leader and electrochemist, Steve Creager.
Fluoropolymer electrolytes are highly conductive and durable plastic
materials that will last for the life of a car. The membranes for
this project will be sandwiched between two thin electrodes that
generate the electricity. Each square inch of membranes and electrodes
can generate several watts of power, and a power source for just
one fuel-cell-powered car would contain hundreds of membranes and
electrodes.
Clemson’s three year project is part of the Energy Department’s
focus on supporting the basic science of creating practical hydrogen
fuel cells. The grant is part of the DOE Hydrogen Initiative in
Basic Energy Sciences, which is linked to President Bush’s
plan to allocate $1.2 billion for hydrogen energy research.
Clemson chemists Steve Creager (from
left), Dennis Smith and Darryl DesMarteau have received a $750,000
DOE grant to develop a fuel cell membrane that helps convert hydrogen
into electricity for cars. The trio is working to develop the technology
that will make hydrogen-based transportation a practical reality.
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