Power+Energy has been granted a Phase II contract from the US Department of Defense (DOD), providing funding for development of palladium alloy membrane assemblies for use in fuel cells.

Under the terms of the deal with the DOD's Office of Naval Research, Pennsylvania-based P+E will receive $1 million to further its work into technology that enables the separation of hydrogen from logistic cells where high levels of sulphur are present.

This is deemed crucial since sulphur immunity and doing away with the stage where it is removed will enable logistics fuels to be used as the hydrogen feedstock for fuel cells.

Moreover, the work could have far-reaching implications for fuel cells' move to the mass market, since it will lead to greater efficiency in the process of extracting hydrogen from liquid fuels by facilitating the processes of reforming and separation.

News of the award of the contract for P+E follows its ongoing work with the Army Research Office and the Navy, with which it is working on systems to separate hydrogen from diesel fuels, methanol and ethanol.

Ÿ Adfero Ltd