US Patent 8211594 - Nanometal particles for methanol fuel cathode

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/8211594.html

This patent from QuantumSphere Inc. deals with the problem of platinum cost in fuel cells using a composition including metal nanoparticles. Claim 1 reads:

1. A composition suitable for use in a direct methanol fuel cathode, the composition comprising nanoparticles comprising a metal core and a shell comprising an oxide of the core metal material, the composition further comprising platinum alloy particles substantially devoid of an oxide shell, and an ion-conducting polymer.