First Success in Development of Novel Alloy Catalyst with Perfectly Intermixing of Atoms Contributing to Improved Efficiency of Residential-Use Fuel Cells

A research group headed by Associate Professor Tatsuya Takeguchi of the Hokkaido University Catalysis Research Center succeeded in developing a novel alloy catalyst in which the platinum atoms and ruthenium atoms that contribute to improved efficiency in residential-use fuel cells are perfectly intermixed. Even when a trace amount of carbon monoxide (CO) coexists with the hydrogen fuel, this CO is efficiently removed on the new alloy catalyst. As a result, high efficiency fuel cell power generation is possible with only a small amount of precious metal, realizing effective utilization of precious metal resources. As it is also possible to develop new alloy catalysts in which the atoms are perfectly intermixed in the same manner using atoms other than platinum and ruthenium, this research result is expected to contribute to solving various energy and environmental problems, not limited to the field of residential-use fuel cells.