January 2007

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Ballard Power Systems is widening its horizons - partially - with direct methanol fuel cells (DMFCs). The company, whose name has been pretty much synonymous with PEM fuel cell technology development, has quietly launched a new product line of gas diffusion layers (GDLs) for DMFCs. While it has no intentions of making any DMFCs, “the materials group has realized by spending a little time and using its materials expertise it could solve a few key problems in the methanol area,” Guy Ebbrell, the business development specialist at Ballard Materials Products, Inc., Lowell, MA told H&FCL. The new material for the anode side, which Ballard first showed interested customers and clients at the recent Fuel Cell Seminar in Hawaii (H&FCL Dec. 06), both lowers methanol crossover and also allows the use of higher methanol concentrations - four molar, according to Ebbrell. For the cathode side Ballard offers essentially the same GDLs as for PEMs, according to Ebbrell. “We recognize that DMFC applications markets may develop earlier” than PEM systems, he adds, and Ballard wants to cash in with its expertise. Without revealing any names, Ebbrell says the new material is being tested by “a number of people,” and, “we feel we can be much more economical.” A descriptive flyer from Ballard Material Products says the new material is already available in rolls of 10 to 300 meters and 400 or 800 mm width, as well as in 200 x 250 mm sheet samples.

Contact: Ballard, Media, Rebecca Young, 604/453-3804, rebecca.young@ballard.com.