Energizing the Future by Innovation in Fuel Cell Materials, Methods, Modeling, and Manufacture

Exciting developments and opportunities face fuel cell research – with the launch of commercial fuel cell electric vehicles in 2014 and prospects for new applications outside of the transportation and portable power sectors. Innovations in materials, especially low-/non-precious group metal catalysts and ionomers, are beginning to shift the platinum-focused paradigm to lower-cost options. Tremendous progress in methods for characterization of structure and properties of materials and components is enabling deeper understanding of transport and kinetics. Advances in computational modeling of material structure and their transport and/or kinetic properties are guiding novel material development and complementing the results of experimental methods. These have led to new approaches for large scale cost effective manufacturing of materials and components. Many challenges exist in successful integration of aforementioned exciting developments for a low-cost, robust fuel cell technology including critical breakthroughs in hydrogen production technologies.

At this GRC, an international group of scientists and engineers from industry, academia, and national laboratories will present talks and posters that focus on cutting edge developments in fuel cell research with regards to materials, methods, modeling and manufacturing pertinent to low-temperature fuel cells. Attendees will be engaged in constructive discussions and scientific exchanges that will stimulate new ideas and facilitate new collaborations aimed at identifying and solving next-generation issues.