SCIENCE

Fuel cells may become even more efficient and powerful thanks to two new products manufactured and marketed by a technology company headquartered in the Purdue Technology Center, located in the Purdue Research Park of Northwest Indiana.

NuVant Systems Inc. has launched ELAT gas diffusion layers and gas diffusion electrodes, which includes a microporous carbon layer. ELAT products are available for purchase in custom sizes around the world. (Photo provided by NuVant Systems Inc.)

NuVant Systems Inc. has added ELAT gas diffusion layers and gas diffusion electrodes to its fuel cell product portfolio. Gas diffusion layers and electrodes are key components of the membrane and electrode assembly in polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells, said Eugene S. Smotkin, CEO of NuVant Systems. Polymer electrolyte fuel cells can provide automotive, residential and portable power.

"Fuel cells generate power by combining oxygen and hydrogen to form water and electric current," he said. "The reactions occur on catalytic surfaces, which activate hydrogen and oxygen for reaction. The electric current must be conducted away from the catalytic surfaces by a conductive layer of carbon cloth."

Smotkin said ELAT has been engineered with a carbon microporous layer that can provide state-of-the-art performance over a wide range of operating conditions.

"These products are set apart from other commercial diffusers by a manufacturing method that deposits the microporous layer to the carbon cloth at a high rate," he said.

NuVant Systems is the sole supplier of ELAT products and manufactures them in custom sizes. ELAT products are now available worldwide. They are trademarked in the United States and soon will be trademarked in the European Union and Canada.