Scribner Associates Awarded U.S. Department of Energy Contract for Fuel Cell Membrane Measurement Technology
Southern Pines, NC (November 1, 2007) - Scribner Associates Inc. has been awarded a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) research grant to develop improved measurement technology for fuel cell membrane manufacturing quality control and quality assurance (QC/QA).
Successful commercialization of fuel cells in the high-volume tranportation market demands reducing the cost and improving the consistency of proton exchange membranes (PEM). Enhanced product QC/QA will increase manufacturing efficiency and decrease manufacturing cost. Tools and methods for accurate measurement of the through-thickness ionic resistance of fuel cell membranes, a keystone property, are required to support high-volume production QC/QA programs.
The two-year U.S. DOE Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project aims to develop a high-throughput membrane measurement system to support fuel cell membrane manufacturing operations. Scribner Associates has a pending patent application for a novel electrode design and measurement apparatus that is compatible with bare membrane samples. The ability to test bare membrane significantly reduces the analysis time and increases the throughput of the measurement system.
Scribner Associates will spend the first year developing and testing the specialized hardware, measurement and control electronics, application software, and test protocol needed for the high-throughput measurement device. During the second project year a prototype system will be evaluated by a leading fuel cell membrane developer and manufacturer.
“This is a very exciting opportunity for us,” noted Dr. Kevin Cooper, Principal Scientist at Scribner. “In addition to being part of the DOE’s mission to advance fuel cells and our Nation’s energy independence, this project will allow Scribner Associates to further establish its position as a leader in the field of fuel cell measurement technology. Commercialization is a key element of the SBIR program and we anticipate taking the technology developed under this program to U.S. membrane manufacturers.”
The company is also evaluating other markets for the technology, including a membrane test device designed for the research and development community. Researchers that are developing new membrane materials have a real need to characterize their materials before they go through the time-consuming and costly effort of fabricating a membrane electrode assembly and testing it as a fuel cell.
About Scribner Associates Inc.
Scribner Associates Inc. is a world-leader in analytical instrumentation and software for electrochemistry. Scribner’s products include application software for general electrochemical research and laboratory instrumentation that are used by scientists and engineers world-wide in the development of electrochemical technologies such as batteries, fuel cells, corrosion science and prevention, and sensor arrays.Founded in 1981, Scribner Associates Inc. is a privately-owned company located in Southern Pines, North Carolina, USA. The company employs a professional staff that includes scientists, engineers, business officials and support staff. The company has sales representatives in the USA, Canada, UK, Japan, Taiwan, and other EU and Far East countries, and enjoys close collaborations with leading industrial companies and Universities.
Contact:
Kevin Cooper, Ph.D., Principal ScientistScribner Associates Incorporated
150 E. Connecticut Ave, Southern Pines, NC 28387
Phone: 910-695-8884 ~ Fax: 910-695-8886
www.scribner.com ~ This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Acknowledgement: This material is based upon work supported by the Department of Energy under Award DE-FG02-06ER84574. Disclaimer: This report was prepared as an account of work sponsored by an agency of the U.S. Government. Neither the U.S. Government nor any agency therefore, nor any of their employees, makes any warranty or assumes any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information disclosed.
