For this reason, developing a dependable, long-lasting hydrogen fuel cell for trucks is the focus of a new Department of Energy consortium called the Million Mile Fuel Cell Truck, known as M2FCT, which is co-led by Los Alamos National Laboratory and kicked off at the beginning of the new year. Funded by the Department of Energy’s Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies Office within the Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Office, M2FCT will focus on fuel cell durability, performance, and cost to better position fuel cell trucks as a viable option in the long-haul trucking market.
Because of the impracticality of testing hydrogen fuel cells for a million hours to recreate wear on the engine, researchers in Los Alamos will use accelerated stress testing to reproduce the punishment on fuel cells from driving. This sped-up stress test generally involves adding heat and gases that speed the deterioration process. Already, the research has produced a couple of insights, including that altering the microscopic structure of the platinum catalyst can reduce the metal’s deterioration. Los Alamos scientists also introduced a benign material into the fuel cell chamber that can capture the harmful chemicals that typically degrade the membrane, extending the fuel cell’s life.