Chemistry

Nate uses botanic templates such as leaves, potatoes, and even celery to synthesize materials for use in fuel cells, resulting in greater efficiency. Additionally, Nate is interested the use of earth-abundant metals such as nickel, cobalt, and iron in creating these materials. The current paradigm in the green energy industry is to use rare and costly metals such as platinum and ruthenium. Nate’s work in developing catalysts from abundant metals could result not only in improved fuel cell efficiency, but ideally in making fuel cell technology more economically sustainable.