Garry Golden

…nanoparticles for concrete production & climate change, PolyFuel’s new Board member, Japanese fuel cell breakthrough, Princeton University’s new fuel cell flow systems (!!!), cheaper catalysts, blue laser diodes, nano wet/dry interface..

Energy – good news for hydrocarbon based fuel cell membranes…

• MIT researchers using Nanoparticles to decrease concrete related CO2 emissions (which account for ‘5 to 10 percent of global carbon emissions’ - (nice to see researchers thinking beyond oil - at energy saving opportunities in manufacturing…)
  Via: Physorg.com

• Intel Marketing VP joins PolyFuel’s Board – could they be preparing for commercial products?!! (PolyFuel and CMR (UK) are my two favorite small fuel cell start ups…
  Via: FuelCellWorks

• PolyFuel (http://www.polyfuel.com) – A well funded start up developing hydrocarbon membrane alternatives to Nafion (fluorocarbon) - Membranes (MEAs) represent 75% of fuel cell system costs - finding an alternative to Nafion

• Japanese breakthrough - 30% greater output on micro methanol fuel cell
  Via: FueCellWorks
  Again, researchers looked at hydrocarbon based membranes… ‘twice the output of fluorine based films’

• Berkeley Researchers see platinum-nickel alloy as the most active oxygen-reducing catalyst ever reported – (fuel cell commercialization is all about the membrane…!! I’ll be posting about innovations related to surface chemistry soon…
  Via: Azom.com

• Princeton University engineering self regulating fuel cell systems –
  The two biggest challenges in fuel cell systems are heat/water management – this architecture could provide a passive self-regulating system for micro fuel cells…!
  Via: NewScientist

Materials Science

• Bright LEDs expected to disrupt lighting industry – featuring CREE, Inc.
  Via: Azom.com

• Blue laser diode breakthrough – optical sensing technologies, storage, et al – based on shorter wavelengths
  Via: Azom.com

• Breakthrough on nanosensors (wet-dry interfaces) — !!!
  Via: Eureka