Methanol fuel cells are said to be an efficient and sustainable replacement for fossil fuels. These devices produce electricity through  a chemical reaction called electro-oxidation. This chemical reaction is induced by inserting a catalyst made of platinum into the fuel cell membrane. Since platinum is an expensive metal, use of this technology has been very limited.

This may be changing though since research chemist Jose E. Barranco from the University of Basque Country has developed a way to create a cheaper and more efficient catalyst for methanol fuel cells.

Barranco has created alloys from nickel, niobium, antimony or ruthenium that allow a catalyst to be constructed with a minimal (around one percent) amount of platinum. The new alloy created is said to have the unique property of turning molecules of carbon monoxide into carbon dioxide efficiently, a process which helps the catalytic process.

Once the catalyst was created, Barranco took the experiment one step further and attempted to increase its efficiency. He ended up with a fine powder which is sprayed unto the membrane. Aside from saving space, this optimized catalyst's operating capacity is enhanced by around 9 to 13 times more.

After all has been said and done, the developed catalyst is said to improve the efficiency of methanol fuel cells by over 50 percent. Could this be the springboard we have been looking for in replacing fossil fuels? Perhaps. Still, we have a long way to go before we can stop using fossil fuels entirely.