The problem with hydrogen fuel cells is that they have a relatively low efficiency and high production costs. Still, scientists have tested several combinations of metals and materials in order to overcome this challenge.

A team lead by Shouheng Sun, professor of chemistry at Brown, has discovered that by shaping platinum into a cube enhances its efficiency in a phase known as oxygen reduction reaction. This is caused by the fact that platinum needs less energy to start a reaction. This is very important in the oxygen reduction phase, when electrons peeled from hydrogen atoms join with oxygen atoms in order to create electrical energy. Still, scientists have had trouble in maximizing platinum’s potential in the oxygen reduction reaction. However, Sun has discovered that molding platinum into a cube on the nanoscale enhances its catalysis, thus boosting the rate of a chemical reaction, which leads to producing more electrical energy.

All this research is being funded by the National Science Foundation and by the Office of the Vice president for Research at Brown University through its Research Seed Fund.