Fuel Cell Breakthrough Reported

Less costly methods for producing oxygen from water have been developed by researchers in the U.S. and Australia, possibly setting the stage for more use of fuel cells to produce energy. Fuel cells have been touted as an important future source of energy. They combine hydrogen and oxygen to produce power without any damaging pollution. Expensive platinum has been used as a catalyst in the process of producing oxygen previously, but the new research substitutes more common chemicals. The two independent developments are reported in the journal Science.