A new catalyst which is made up of a ruthenium (Ru) core inside a Platinum (Pt) shell has been designed by scientists.

The catalyst has been designed for the preferential oxidation (PROX) of carbon monoxide (CO).

It will be used to help solve one of the main obstacles to fuel cell development, namely the fact that hydrogen-rich materials used in the fuel cell process contain CO.

This CO, which is formed during hydrogen production, reduces the efficiency of fuel cells by poisoning their electrodes.

According to the researchers, who were led by Bryan Eichhorn of the University of Maryland and Manos Mavrikakis of the University of Wisconsin, Madison, the new catalyst achieves enhanced activity over other alternatives through the availability of more CO-free Pt sites on the nanoparticles' surface, as well as a new hydrogen-mediated reaction that oxidizes CO at room temperature, the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) reports.

"This work shows that very fundamental aspects obtained for model extended surfaces can be applied to real-world materials, such as nanocatalysts, thus bridging the gap between surface science and catalysis," electrochemist Nicolas Alonso-Vante of the University of Poitiers told the RSC.

Source:

'Designer' catalyst fights fuel cell poisoning, 19/03/08
http://www.rsc.org/chemistryworld/News/2008/March/19030801.asp

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