Japanese universities and enterprises are leading new technology development to reduce platinum consumption in fuel cell electrocatalyst. They project to reduce the consumption by 90% until 2015. The promising methods are to coat various metal cores with platinum or to control shapes of nano-scale platinum particles, in order to activate catalyst functions.Electrocatalyst of PEFC (proton-exchange membrane fuel cell) is carbon electrode surfaced with nano-scale platinum particles. Platinum consumption is about 100 grams per car while platinum accounts for 30% in total cost of PEFC. Meanwhile, world platinum production is approximately 200 tonnes per annum, just as much as the consumption for only 2 million cars.In 2008, Japanese 14 universities and enterprises launched a project to reduce platinum consumption in PEFC by 90% until 2015. The project is conducted by Professor Minoru Inaba, Faculty of Science & Engineering, Doshisha University.The most promising method is currently reported to metallide cores of cobalt, palladium or gold by platinum shell. This method is confirmed to improve catalyst action by 5-6 times or possibly 10 times. Another method is to control atomic order on platinum particle surface for higher catalyst action. Catalyst function can improve by 50% to control platinum atom’s shape from cubic to octahedral.
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Japan Steel Scrap Composite Prices (Sangyo Press)
2025/06/30H2 | NewCutting (PRESS) |
40800YEN (-) | 42800YEN (-) |
283.71US$ (-0.45) | 297.61US$ (-0.48) |
* Average of electric furnaces steel maker's purchasing price in Tokyo, Osaka and Nagoya (per ton)
- JMB Tieup company
- The Korea Metal Journal
- ferro-alloys.com
- Steel on the net
- AMM
- MEPS