ACAL — High throughput discovery of novel homogeneous catalyst

At a glance

ACAL Energy has developed a liquid regenerating fuel cell technology which replaces the conventional platinum catalyst on the cathode electrode with homogeneous polyoxometalate (POM) materials to produce electricity from hydrogen fuel.

Seventy experimental arrays, based on 500 materials, generated a number of exciting candidates for ongoing development – and yielded a number of additional insights.

Challenge

To produce new and improved catalyst materials for use in new fuel cell technology.

Approach

A collaborative research project, part funded by the Innovate UK, was initiated to discover new and improved catalyst materials and develop insights into their synthesis, testing and performance characteristics.

Solution

As part of a collaboration involving ACAL Energy, Thomas Swan and the Universities of Liverpool and Newcastle, Centre for Materials.

Timeline: 2012