Record hydrogen fuel recipe cooked by US scientists to power trucks

US scientists at Brookhaven National Laboratory have developed a novel hydrogen fuel cell catalyst that significantly enhances performance and durability, potentially enabling practical use in heavy-duty vehicles such as trucks and buses. The catalyst features a nitrogen-doped high-entropy intermetallic core composed of platinum (Pt), cobalt (Co), nickel (Ni), iron (Fe), and copper (Cu), encapsulated by a single-atom-thick platinum shell. This atomic-scale engineering introduces sub-angstrom distortions in the catalyst’s structure, strengthening metal-nitrogen bonds and improving both reactivity and resilience under harsh operating conditions. Tested under rigorous simulations mimicking heavy-duty truck use, the new catalyst endured over 90,000 operating cycles—equivalent to 25,000 hours of continuous operation—while surpassing current Department of Energy (DOE) performance targets. This breakthrough addresses a key challenge in fuel cell technology: creating catalysts durable and efficient enough for demanding commercial transport applications. The research demonstrates a practical pathway toward widespread adoption