Reference #: 00527
Intellectual Property status:
Patent has been issued for this technology: U.S. Patent 7, 629, 285. The University of South Carolina is offering licensing opportunities.
Potential Applications:
Can be used as a catalyst in a PEM fuel cell.
Advantages and Benefits:
This metal-free carbon catalyst is cheaper to produce than the traditional metal based ones. This technology produces the same four-electron pathway as a metal catalyst for oxygen reduction reaction while also increased activity and selectivity, with no performance degradation in the fuel cell using this technology.
Invention Description:
This technology is a low-cost method of synthesizing and characterizing non-precious metal and metal-free catalysts with high activity and selectivity for oxidation reduction reaction.