(Calgary, Canada) Fuel cells are often touted as one method to help curb society's addiction to fossil fuels.

But much still needs to be done before fuel cells will be ready for mass use in transportation, home heating and portable power for emergencies. Canadian scientists report advancing the cause through the discovery of a material they believe could hike the efficiency and lower the cost of fuel cells.

Chemists from the University of Calgary say the material enables fuel cells with what's called "polymer-electrolyte membranes" - or PEMs - to work at higher temperatures. The researchers say that's important in terms of boosting effectiveness and cutting the cost of such fuel cells.

They describe a fuel cell as a device that can convert hydrogen and oxygen into water and electrical energy. The work is detailed in a recent issue of the journal Nature Chemistry.

　

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