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In contrast to traditional membrane development -a synthesis-intensive process with many distinct steps -the partners are taking a 'formulation approach'. This involves selecting a number of different polymers, each picked for a specific property, then combining the polymers in one mixing step so the final material retains all of the desired properties.
Although combinatorial methods have been used in drug discovery, Meredith is pioneering their use in fuel cell technology. He has developed a technology for depositing large collections of polymers on a single microscope slide, using property gradients to create thousands of variations in composition, temperature and thickness.
'Combinatorial methods allow us to search through possibilities much more efficiently,' explains Meredith. 'We can run through hundreds of materials in just a couple of hours.'
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programmes, it has now entered the manufacturing growth stage.
This article describes the development of solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) at Ceramic Fuel Cells Ltd in Australia, and in particular the progress with its latest system, its first at the 25 kW level, which is planned for operation in mid-1999. Ceramic Fuel Cells Ltd (CFCL) was established in 1992, wit