Interest in Hydrogen Fuel Cell Vehicles Is on the Rise
Will this emerging trend create new opportunities to recycle platinum?
Just when we were starting to think that enthusiasm for hydrogen fuel cell-powered vehicles was starting to fall, interest is picking up again. Learn more in this recent video about fuel cell cars that was shown on PBS News earlier this month.
How Hydrogen Fuel Cell Cars Work
Platinum is used as a catalyst in hydrogen fuel cells. Just to review, a catalyst is a chemical or substance that causes a change in another material.
Inside a hydrogen fuel cell, it works this way. Hydrogen (which is stored under pressure in a tank that is located in the vehicle) passes through the fuel cell’s platinum catalysts. That, in turn, causes electricity to be generated. That electricity is then used to power electric motors that move the vehicle. And what happens to the used hydrogen? After it has passed through the platinum catalysts, not much is left of it – just heat and water, which exit from the car.
Where Are Hydrogen Fuel Cell Cars Sold Today
Presently, you can only buy them in Hawaii and some parts of California. But given the growing interest in zero-emissions vehicles, that could soon change. The current hold-up is that there is not yet infrastructure in place to distribute liquid hydrogen to filling stations across America.
Think of this as analogous to the current situation regarding recharging stations for Teslas and other all-electric cars, although there is one difference. If you have an electric car, you can install a recharging hookup in your home. That will never happen with hydrogen-powered cars. But if and when these advanced hydrogen-powered cars become common, that will change.
What Precious Metals Can Be Reclaimed from Hydrogen Fuel Cell-Powered Vehicles?
Presently, platinum is used in the catalysts in fuel cells. However, a number of laboratories are now working to create catalysts that are made of chemicals other than platinum. We do not know where that technology is heading, but if it proves successful it is possible that we will see a new generation of fuel cell cars that do not contain platinum or other precious metals.
Follow the Trends and Be Ready for Potential Profits in Recycling Fuel Cells
If you are a forward-thinking investor in precious metals, you will want to continue to monitor this trend.
And if you have platinum scrap – or gold, silver or other precious scrap, you don’t have to wait until some time in the future to recycle those materials and make money. If you have scrap to recycle, give our precious metals recycling experts a call at 800-426-2344.