Fuel Cell Technology and Platinum Recovery
Summary
Fuel cell technology provides a zero‐emission pathway for electricity generation, with proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) at the forefront of mobility and stationary power applications due to their high efficiency and fast dynamic response. Central to their performance is the use of platinum as an electrocatalyst at the cathode, where it promotes the oxygen reduction reaction. However, the limited global supply and high cost of platinum necessitate reductions in noble‐metal loadings, the exploration of alternative catalyst materials and the implementation of robust recovery strategies. Recovery of platinum from end‐of‐life fuel cell stacks employs chemical and electrochemical routes—hydrometallurgical leaching, pyrometallurgical treatments and emerging electrochemical dissolution—to reclaim high‐purity metal for reuse. Advances in process optimisation, combined with life‐cycle assessment and techno-economic modelling, are driving improvements in recovery efficiency, cost-effectiveness and environmental performance, thereby enabling a circular economy for clean hydrogen technologies.
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Fuel Cell Technology and Platinum Recovery publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in fuel cell technology and platinum recovery across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell (PEMFC): A low‐temperature fuel cell in which hydrogen ions migrate through a polymer electrolyte membrane to generate electricity.
Oxygen Reduction Reaction (ORR): The cathodic half-reaction in fuel cells, where oxygen molecules are reduced to water, typically catalysed by platinum.
Hydrometallurgical Recycling: A metal recovery process that uses aqueous solutions to leach and extract metals from spent materials.
Techno-Economic Analysis: An integrated assessment method that combines technical performance and economic metrics to evaluate the viability of a process or technology.
References
- Techno-economic analysis of proton exchange membrane fuel cell recycling through pyro- and hydrometallurgy. Journal of Cleaner Production (2025).
- Electrolyzer and Fuel Cell Recycling for a Circular Hydrogen Economy. Advanced Sustainable Systems (2023).
- Leaching Efficiency and Kinetics of Platinum from Spent Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells by H2O2/HCl. Metals (2023).
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