Under the European Union's European Clean Transport Directive, from 2004 to 2005, some of the world's leading passenger car companies have taken the lead in introducing passenger cars using hydrogen-powered fuel cells. Participants included DaimlerChrysler, Shell Hydro, and BP. The company that has pioneered the development of fuel cells for passenger cars and cars has also been involved in this area. The company plans to commercialize the automotive fuel cell in 2010.
PolyFuel also developed a hydrocarbon membrane for automotive fuel cells. Compared with fluorocarbon membranes, hydrocarbon membranes have the advantages of durability and low cost. The membrane is a thin filter at the heart of the proton exchange membrane fuel cell system, allowing hydrogen protons to flow to the cathode of the fuel cell.
JohnsonMatthey has made great strides in developing technology for the membrane electrode assembly (MEA) used in the automotive market. Its key products include catalytic components in fuel cell stacks and systems. Following the establishment of a production facility in Swindon, UK, the company currently has a commercial production capacity.
BASF has developed a system based on organometallic nanomaterials that can store hydrogen and facilitate release to fuel cells under controlled conditions.
The US Department of Energy's Brookhaven National Laboratory has developed a hydrogen storage tank featuring a titanium-containing aluminum hydride (a complex metal hydride) that decomposes hydrogen into a single hydrogen atom and incorporates it. Crystallized sodium aluminum hydride is combined with aluminum and sodium to safely store these single atoms.
Japan's Honda Motor Co. launched a hydrogen-powered fuel cell last year to equip it with its FCX fuel cell vehicle at the Redondo Beach production facility in the United States. The company plans to use the hydrogen-powered fuel cell cars in the global market in the next four years.
At present, the global network of hydrogen filling stations is gradually building. Some oil companies, including Shell and BP, have built hydrogen charging stations in some cities in recent years and are developing this market. Some gas companies, including Air Products, are also involved in the field of hydrogen supply. Air products company and BP's medium-sized hydrogen charging project in Singapore can now supply hydrogen. A network of hydrogen charging stations is also being built in California, USA, and it is hoped that by 2010 it will constitute a “hydrogen highwayâ€. At present, there are 115 hydrogen charging stations in the world, most of which are built in the United States.
Chemical Company Digging Vehicle Fuel Cell Market
Fuel cell-powered vehicles have begun to show growth in the past two years. By 2013, the number of fuel cell cars in the world will reach 200,000, fuel cell buses will reach 1,500, and fuel cell vehicles will reach 30,000. This is the newly-published figure of the American Chemical Week. The development of fuel cells provides chemical companies with market opportunities. JohnsonMatthey, Engelhard, WR Grace and Southern Chemicals, DuPont, PolyFuel, and Solvay are all developing new materials for components including fuel cell membranes. Some industrial gas companies and oil companies are also engaged in the production, storage and supply of hydrogen.