NSF Org:	TI Translational Impacts
Recipient:
Initial Amendment Date:	December 11, 2002
Latest Amendment Date:	December 11, 2002
Award Number:	0231977
Award Instrument:	Standard Grant
Program Manager:	Rosemarie D. Wesson TI  Translational Impacts TIP  Directorate for Technology, Innovation, and Partnerships
Start Date:	January 1, 2003
End Date:	June 30, 2003 (Estimated)
Total Intended Award Amount:	$99,530.00
Total Awarded Amount to Date:	$99,530.00
Funds Obligated to Date:	FY 2003 = $99,530.00
History of Investigator:	Anand Chellappa (Principal Investigator) anand.chellappa@mesofuel.com
Recipient Sponsored Research Office:	Mesofuel, Inc. 1001 Menaul NE Albuquerque NM  US  87107-1642 (505)314-8150
Sponsor Congressional District:	01
Primary Place of Performance:	Mesofuel, Inc. 1001 Menaul NE Albuquerque NM  US  87107-1642
Primary Place of Performance Congressional District:	01
Unique Entity Identifier (UEI):
Parent UEI:
NSF Program(s):	SBIR Phase I
Primary Program Source:	app-0103
Program Reference Code(s):	1417, 9150, 9163, AMPP
Program Element Code(s):	537100
Award Agency Code:	4900
Fund Agency Code:	4900
Assistance Listing Number(s):	47.084

ABSTRACT

This Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) Phase I project will focus on the development of economical processes to produce a highly selective, long life, low-cost hydrogen separation membrane for the purification of a fuel stream from a steam reforming fuel processor. Recently developed processes for rapid direct-write deposition processes will be applied to produce thin (<10microns) palladium alloy membranes as a primary cost reduction step. Preliminary trials with these novel processes on porous metal show encouraging results in terms of deposition of a uniform membrane, homogeneous alloy compositions and stability to thermal cycling.

Producing pure hydrogen from hydrocarbon based fuels on-site and on-demand is critical to enabling the burgeoning fuel cell industry. At present, distribution costs for hydrogen can represent more than 99 percent of the total cost of hydrogen. To meet and/or surpass cost projections for 2005 and beyond in the stationary, portable and automotive fuel cell markets, it will require innovative concepts for reducing both high volume manufacturing and material costs. Estimates project that costs for fuel processing systems must be reduced 3x - 6x by the year 2005 to meet cost targets of $1,500 per kilowatt and allow the fuel cell industry to become a viable energy alternative.

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