Pajarito Powder to provide General Motors with advanced catalyst

Chevrolet Colorado ZH2-fuel cell

General Motors was recently selected for a U.S. Department of Energy contract to produce high-durability, low-Platinum Group Metal Membrane Electrode Assemblies (MEAs) for Medium-and Heavy-duty Truck Applications.  Pajarito Powder, LLC will be a sub-contractor to General Motors to develop and provide advanced catalysts for durable fuel cell MEAs.

Pajarito Powder’s advanced Engineered Catalyst Support effectively “secures” the platinum to the catalyst framework in a structure that allows the most effective use of the precious metal during the electrochemical processes. These materials also improve long-term durability, as the proprietary Engineered Catalyst Support withstands the rigorous demands of high current, shut down and startup, and environmental conditions characterized by the extreme duty cycles of heavy vehicles. Optimization of MEAs with high-performing catalysts is crucial to the adoption of electrified powertrains for heavy duty vehicles.

Funded through the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) under CFDA Number 81.086, General Motors will lead the project.  Pajarito Powder CTO and President Dr. Barr Zulevi commented, “We are honored to work with this most prestigious fuel cell program and are excited about the possibilities. America runs on trucks and General Motors sees fuel cell technology as a key part in sustainable transportation.”

The U.S. Department of Energy announced $50 million for new and innovative research of technologies for trucks, off-road vehicles, and the fuels that power them.  This project is part of an expansive objective to improve the energy efficiency of the fastest growing segment of fuel users in the United States, heavy-duty vehicles.  By providing access to advanced technologies like driveline electrification and fuel cells, heavy transportation can benefit from improved efficiencies that impact all areas of the economy, while reinforcing DOE’s commitment to sustainable transportation. The entire list of awards can be viewed here.

Pajarito Powder, LLC is a venture-backed startup, funded by the Verge Fund, Omphalos Venture Partners and other investors, focused on developing next-generation catalysts and catalyst supports for the fuel cell and electrolyzer industries. Working with automotive OEMs, fuel cell component companies and major electrolyzer manufacturers, Pajarito Powder is an established leader in advanced catalyst and catalyst support development in rapidly developing clean/green hydrogen industries.

Photo credit: GM Media team posted to share with public media [CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)] Wikipedia

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