Environment & Energy

Last edited Sat Aug 23, 2025, 12:23 PM - Edit history (3)

That's a fact Jack!


Alkaline fuel cells (AFCs) typically use much less platinum catalyst than proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells


Typical catalyst loading

PEMFCs: usually require 0.2–0.4 mg Pt/cm² (sometimes higher in older designs).

AFCs: can run at 0–0.05 mg Pt/cm², or even eliminate platinum entirely if using silver or transition-metal oxides as catalysts.


3. Cost implication

This difference in platinum loading makes AFCs significantly cheaper from a materials standpoint, since platinum is one of the biggest cost drivers in PEM fuel cells.


for the same power and H₂ input, expect:

Stack BOM: alkaline ~0.7–0.8× PEM.

System BOM: alkaline ~0.8–0.9× PEM (application- and lifetime-dependent).