Fuel cell materials company, Bac2, has been named as a Guardian Library House Cleantech 100 business following extensive research by an independent panel. The Cleantech 100 identifies the hottest 100 private cleantech companies in Europe, the selection being made by panel members representing some of the most prominent investors and experts in the sector including Siemens, Morgan Stanley, Virgin Green Fund, General Electric, Good Energies, Environmental Technologies Fund, Carbon Trust and Kreos Capital.
Bac2’s patented conductive polymer, ElectroPhen™, is used to make bipolar, or separator, plates for fuel cells. Fuel cells are efficient electrochemical devices that convert hydrogen energy into electricity with only water as a by-product. These plates interconnect individual cells within a fuel cell stack, channeling fuel in the form of hydrogen gas or liquid methanol to the electrochemical reaction, which produces electricity. The bipolar plates conduct the electricity to the external electric circuit and manage heat dissipation in the fuel cell, and are a significant part of a typical PEM (proton exchange membrane) fuel cell. With spiraling energy costs, climate change and energy security concerns, it is likely that fuel cells will be a major contributor to future clean power generation, but costs need to be reduced to enable widespread adoption of the technology.
ElectroPhen plates offer substantial cost savings against other materials without compromising performance and will therefore make a significant contribution to the early adoption of clean fuel cell technology. ElectroPhen is thermally stable, resilient to temperature and inert towards fuel cell catalysts and membranes. It cures at room temperature and its basic raw materials are widely available from major chemical suppliers. The material’s conductivity easily exceeds US Department of Energy specifications for use in automotive applications – one of the most demanding standards in the industry.
Dr. Graham Murray, an industrial chemist with a background in resin development, founded Bac2. The company was initially funded by a £250,000 UK DTI grant, followed by £500,000 seed investment in May 2006 and a £2 million business angel round in November 2007.
