Cars Without Combustion

This article discusses the use of fuel cell-powered vehicles that aim to change the face of transportation. These fuel cell-powered vehicles are expected to have a significant impact on reducing both the emissions implicated in global climate change and those that cause local smog. Fuel cells electrochemically oxidize a fuel without burning, thereby avoiding the inefficiencies and pollution associated with the traditional combustion technologies. The U.S. Department of Energy is working with researchers at the University of Waterloo in Ontario and elsewhere to develop non-precious materials to replace the platinum catalysts in fuel cells. European scientists have developed a material for converting hydrogen and oxygen to water that uses only 10% of the amount of platinum that is normally required. The researchers discovered that the efficiency of the nanometer-sized catalyst particles is greatly influenced by their geometric shape and atomic structure. Mechanical engineers play a crucial role in the development of both fuel cell and hydrogen production technologies.