This blog article talks about the latest invention made in the field of electric cars and states how this development can make them more suitable for the future.
Solution to a major problem
Scientists at the Department of Energy's Brookhaven National Laboratory are on the verge of finding a solution to a problem that has been limiting the use of electric vehicles in normal start-stop conditions for a while now.
Functioning of Platinum catalyst
Electric cars presently use Platinum as a catalyst in the electric fuel cells. Platinum functions well in conditions of constant-speed driving but gets dissolved in start-stop driving conditions, hence comprising the efficiency of the electric cars.
To counteract this problem, scientists are trying to fit gold clusters to platinum electro catalysts to improve their performance. The gold clusters protect platinum from getting oxidized and hence from getting dissolved.
The scientists placed a single layer of copper with gold on carbon-supported platinum particles and subjected it to electric bursts of 1.2V, after which the gold changed into 3D clusters around the platinum catalyst particles. It was proved that oxidization of Platinum is lesser after observing the electrochemical process by sending X-ray probes.
Drawbacks of this process
As both gold and platinum are costly metals, the feasibility of this process is still being studied. However, since this method reduces the dissolution of platinum, it makes the electric vehicles usable in normal driving conditions and hence could help eliminate the problem of vehicular emissions.
