This Shit Would Not Be a Problem With Alkaline Fuel Cells
Last edited Sat Aug 23, 2025, 12:23 PM - Edit history (3)
That's a fact Jack!
Alkaline fuel cells (AFCs) typically use much less platinum catalyst than proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells
Typical catalyst loading
PEMFCs: usually require 0.2–0.4 mg Pt/cm² (sometimes higher in older designs).
AFCs: can run at 0–0.05 mg Pt/cm², or even eliminate platinum entirely if using silver or transition-metal oxides as catalysts.
3. Cost implication
This difference in platinum loading makes AFCs significantly cheaper from a materials standpoint, since platinum is one of the biggest cost drivers in PEM fuel cells.
for the same power and H₂ input, expect:
Stack BOM: alkaline ~0.7–0.8× PEM.
System BOM: alkaline ~0.8–0.9× PEM (application- and lifetime-dependent).
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