Here's a fuel cell that doesn't use hydrogen and could be cheaper to build since it doesn't use platinum:
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Hydrazine hydrate—a compound of nitrogen, hydrogen, and water—is liquid, which makes it easier to store and deliver than gas. And it contains no carbon, so cars using it would still be environment-friendly. But perhaps the main advantage of the new fuel cell is simply that it's cheaper.
In hydrogen fuel cells, platinum serves as a catalyst membrane that breaks down hydrogen molecules into ions and electrons. The electrons provide the current that powers the car's motor. Platinum is used because it's the only metal catalyst that can survive corrosion by hydrogen ions for any length of time.
But the membrane in the Daihatsu fuel cell has to cope only with more-benign hydroxide ions, allowing engineers to use cheaper catalysts such as cobalt or nickel.
Hydrazine hydrate is a compound of hydrogen, nitrogen, and water, with molecular symbol: H2NNH2OH2O. It is a colorless liquid that has been used as a part of jet aircraft fuel.
The Daihatsu engineers contend that hydrazine hydrate is much better than hydrogen because it (1) has higher output, (2) is easier to store and deliver, (3) has no carbon dioxide emissions, and (4) is less expensive to use.
It is less expensive to use than hydrogen because hydroxide ions uses cobalt or nickel as the electrode catalyst to break down the hydrazine hydrate molecules rather than platinum to break down hydrogen molecules. Cobalt and nickel are both much cheaper to use than platinum.
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