A new technique using nano-scale pieces of copper and platinum wire has enabled scientists to develop a fuel cell just 200 nanometers in width, according to EETimes.

Researchers at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratories have devised a fuel cell that they say can function for decades by accessing a hydrogen reservoir.

By exploring the nano-composition of platinum and copper wires, Lawrence Berkeley researcher Kenneth Lux said the team had been able to make the breakthrough at the University of Wisconsin.

"Our goal is a nano fuel cell on a chip, but to do that you need 3-D, because the usual planar structures inside chips do not provide enough surface area," he explained.

"We estimated that you needed to increase the surface area of electrodes about 10,000 times to achieve enough power density.

"The trick we used was to adapt our technique for making copper-platinum [alloy] nano- wires. By removing the copper atoms from the alloy we basically destroy the nanowire, but what's left behind is a highly porous three-dimensional electrode."

With the arrays of copper- platinum nanowires, Dr Lux was able to devise a functioning cell in liquid electrolyte – with the team now experimenting with the use of a solid oxide, potentially opening the door to mass layered-nanoscale fuel cells capable of producing power.

Now the key is to ramp up the fuel cell's capacity such that an improved power density is achieved with the prospect of commercial applications following on.


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