Self-Assembling Molecules Catalyze Hydrogen Fuel Cells

The molecules, cofacial cobalt porphyrins in hydrogen fuel cells, could be the next big advance in alternative energy

A team in the chemistry department at the University at Buffalo College designed a new catalyst using self-assembled molecules called cofacial cobalt porphyrins. The compounds facilitate a chemical reaction needed to produce power from hydrogen and oxygen, and are extremely cheap and easy to make.

The chemical building blocks, which are designed to fit together in a certain way, are simply put into a flask, stirred, and heated. Eventually, the pieces coalesce to form the final complexes. This catalyst could enable the manufacture of very low-cost hydrogen fuel cells, which could allow wider application of hydrogen power than is currently feasible.

Read more from the article in the University of Buffalo News Center →