Advanced Materials for PEM-based Fuel Cell Systems

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0090556 McGrath This award is to Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University to support the activity described below for 24 months. The proposal was submitted in response to the Partnerships for Innovation Program Solicitation (NSF 0082).PartnersThe partners are Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University; Virginia Commonwealth University; Newport News Shipbuilding (NNS); Acadia Elastomers; United Technologies; ChemFab; Dais Analytic; BPAmoco; Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL); Grambling University; Hampton University.Proposed ActivitiesThe activities in this award are systems engineering analysis of membrane electrode assembly of fuel cell stacks; predictive modeling of materials durability; synthesis and characterization of new polymers for electrodes; summer intern education programs; modeling and reliability testing; scale-up from materials, models, processing to prototype; technology transfer to industrial partners; commercialization.Proposed InnovationFuel cells have been in existence for over one hundred years, but they are not economical or reliable enough for commercialization. Materials that operate at higher temperatures and increased efficiency for thousands of hours are needed. Reliability modeling and lifetime prediction models are being investigated. This will allow expansion of the technology to other systems. Once fuel cells become economically competitive, the potential commercialization is enormous. Quiet, clean, reliable, mobile power generation will have a huge range of applications with a large potential economic market.Potential Economic ImpactFuel cells have potential for clean generation of electrical power, but the materials available currently are not adequate for reliable, long-life high temperature economic operation. Inclusion of under-represented minorities in graduate programs is important. Long-term sustainability is assured if economic, reliable fuel cells can be made. Potential Societal ImpactTwo of the partners are historically african-american colleges. An increase in the number of african-american scientists and engineers with graduate degrees would be a major outcome. Clean generation of electrical power would be a major societal impact.