Multifunctional catalyst for poison-resistant hydrogen fuel cells
(PHYSorg.com Chemistry)

Demand for eco-friendly fuel sources is increasing as the goal of diminishing reliance on fossil fuels becomes commonly recognized. Hydrogen represents a possible sustainable fuel source when it is produced from water and burned with oxygen because only water is released as a by-product. The oxidation of hydrogen to release energy and water using fuel cells containing catalysts is being researched intensively. However, catalysts used in hydrogen oxidation generally suffer from poisoning by carbon monoxide, which is present as a contaminant in commercial hydrogen gas. Thus, the ability to oxidize both hydrogen and carbon monoxide in the same reaction system is an attractive prospect to avoid catalyst poisoning and increase the efficiency of energy production from hydrogen.