# Ilika plc Grant of Fuel Cell Catalyst Patents in USA

- Link: https://www.directorstalkinterviews.com/ilika-plc-grant-fuel-cell-catalyst-patents-usa/412731018
- Published: 2017-06-29T07:07:46+01:00
- Author: Giles Arbor

**[Ilika plc](https://www.directorstalkinterviews.com/company/ilika-plc/ika.l)**(
[LON:IKA](https://www.directorstalkinterviews.com/company/ilika-plc/ika.l)), a pioneer
in solid-state battery technology and materials innovation, announced today the 
grant of three patents covering catalysts for hydrogen fuel cells in the USA. These
patents cover a type of catalyst known as “Core-Shell Catalysts”, where the catalyst
is the coating on nano-scale spherical particles, like the hard shell on a golf 
ball.

Catalysts are key to ensuring the efficiency and reliability of fuel cells. The 
catalysts must therefore be stable in the aggressive acidic environment created 
within hydrogen fuel cells, whilst highly active in promoting the chemical reactions
necessary for converting hydrogen and oxygen into electricity and water.

Core-Shell Nanostructured Catalysts typically have a relatively low-cost and stable
core, which is then coated with a thin layer (shell) of the active catalyst. The
Company’s patented catalysts have mixed metal oxide (ceramic) cores covered in platinum.
The three wholly owned granted patents were originally filed in January 2013. The
Company had previously undertaken a joint development project with Toyota examining
other catalyst materials which resulted in an earlier jointly-owned patent filing,
which has since gone to grant in Japan and is currently being processed in other
jurisdictions.

> **Commenting on the patents granted, Graeme Purdy, Ilika Plc CEO, said:** “Whilst
> our solid-state battery programme is our key focus, our materials discovery platform
> is generating innovative, patentable materials with a variety of applications.
> The pace of innovation in the automotive industry has never been greater as companies
> compete to develop increasingly more energy-efficient, low emission vehicles. 
> While electrical hybrid vehicles using battery technology have captured the largest
> share of the low-emission market at this point and fully battery-powered electric
> vehicles are also seeing strong take-up, fuel cell vehicles offer the advantage
> of long driving range, which justifies the development of key technologies such
> as low-cost, robust catalysts.”

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