SBIR Phase II: Commercially Viable Deposition of Catalytic Films onto Proton Conducting Membranes

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*** 9801444 Hunt This Small Business Innovation Research Phase II project will address the application of catalytic films on the anodic and cathodic sides of proton conducting fuel-oxidant separation membranes. In the case of proton exchange membranes (PEMs), such as NAFION, catalytic films have been applied by several methods with varying degrees of success. Most methods that yield high performance fuel cells are far too expensive for mass-market applications. The Combustion Chemical Vapor Deposition (CCVD) is a strong candidate to provide a low-cost solution for catalytic coatings onto PEMS. CCVD's primary advantage is the ability to deposit high quality thin films in the open atmosphere in a production friendly manner. The process uses simple, low-cost equipment and relatively inexpensive precursors of the materials to be coated. The Phase I effort proved that CCVD could effectively deposit platinum onto a NAFION membrane to produce a functioning fuel cell assembly without any measurable deterioration of the PEM. Phase II research will focus on construction of a prototype coating system, resolution of scalability issues, and performance achievement. The billion-dollar fuel cell opportunity range from spacecraft to stationary and transportation energy sources. If funded, the low cost CCVD technology can play an important role in the widespread commercialization of PEM fuel cell technology. ***