Dipartimento di Chimica

Research efforts are needed to meet efficiency and cost requirements for polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells. Developing low-cost durable membranes and catalysts tolerating a wide range of conditions is challenging. In the search of high-temperature, low relative humidity electrolytes, we propose novel organic-inorganic composite membranes, formed by the incorporation of inorganic nanoparticles within a polymer matrix. Cost and CO tolerance of catalysts used for the redox reactions at the electrodes are also addressed, by developing Pt-free catalysts based on metal-macrocyclic compounds.