——Contribute to carbon neutrality in the rapidly developing Chinese fuel cell market by signing a technical support agreement with China’s Chengdu Guangming Paite Precious Metals Co., Ltd.
Tanaka Precious Metals Industry Co., Ltd. (Head Office: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, Executive President: Koichiro Tanaka), the core company of the Tanaka Precious Metals Group that engages in the industrial precious metals business, announced that it has signed an agreement with its Chinese affiliate Chengdu Guangming Paite Precious Metals Co., Ltd. Technical support agreement for electrode catalyst manufacturing technology.
Ya’an Guangming Paite Precious Metals Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of Chengdu Guangming Paite Precious Metals Co., Ltd. (planned to start formal operations in the summer of 2024) will install production equipment in the factory and will start producing fuel cell electrode catalysts for the Chinese market in 2025. Tanaka Kikinzoku Industry has a high share of the global fuel cell electrode catalyst market. Through this cooperation, Tanaka Kikinzoku Group can respond to the growing demand for fuel cell electrode catalysts in China.
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<Electrode Catalysts for Polymer Fuel Cells (PEFC)>
ˆAbout Tanaka Precious Metals Industry’s fuel cell electrode catalysts
Currently, the FC Catalyst Development Center in the Shonan Plant of Tanaka Kikinzoku Industries is developing and manufacturing electrode catalysts for polymer electrolyte fuel cells (PEFC) and polymer electrolyte water electrolysis (PEWE), and is selling cathode (*1) materials for PEFC. Platinum catalysts and platinum alloy catalysts with high activity and durability, platinum alloy catalysts with excellent resistance to carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning for anodes (*2), OER catalysts (*3), and anodized iridium catalysts for PEWE.
PEFC is currently used in fuel cell vehicles (FCV) and household fuel cells “ENE-FARM”. In the future, it is expected to be used in commercial vehicles such as buses and trucks, cargo trucks such as forklifts, construction heavy machinery, robots and other industrial machinery, and Expand the scope of use in large equipment and other fields. PEFC is compact and lightweight, can produce high power, and utilizes the chemical reaction of hydrogen and oxygen. It is a power generation device that is very important for the future global environment.
The main problem facing the full popularity of fuel cells is the cost of using platinum. Tanaka Precious Metals Industry has been committed to the research of precious metal catalysts for more than 40 years, and has developed catalysts that can achieve high performance and high durability while reducing the use of precious metals. Currently, Tanaka Precious Metals Industries is further developing catalysts suitable for fuel cells by researching new carrier materials, catalyst post-treatment methods, and developing more active metal species.
Global fuel cell market trends
Under the guidance of government policies, China continues to promote the development of hydrogen energy and FCV as strategic industries. In order to promote the research, development and popularization of fuel cell technology, the Chinese government has launched various support policies, such as subsidies and preferential tax policies to promote the development and introduction of fuel cell vehicles. In addition, the Chinese government will also build hydrogen energy supply infrastructure in cities and major transportation lines. In the future, the fuel cell market will further develop.
Europe and the United States are also promoting zero-emission vehicles (※4). In the “Fit for 55″ package of policies to address climate change adopted by the European Union in April 2023, a bill was passed. After 2035, in principle, new passenger cars and small commercial vehicles must achieve zero emissions (only when using synthetic In the case of “e-fuel” (*5), new cars equipped with internal combustion engines will be allowed to continue to be sold after 2035). The United States also issued a presidential decree in 2021, aiming to achieve the goal of electric vehicles accounting for 50% of new car sales by 2030.
Starting from September 2022, Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry will discuss with hydrogen energy suppliers, automobile manufacturers, logistics companies, local governments and other relevant parties to promote the popularization of hydrogen energy in the field of mobility. According to the mid-term summary in July 2023 It shows that “key areas” will be selected to promote fuel cell-powered trucks and buses as soon as possible this year.
Tanaka Precious Metals Industry will continue to be committed to the stable supply of electrode catalysts for fuel cells and focus on research and development. As a well-known company of electrode catalysts for fuel cells, it will continue to contribute to the promotion of fuel cells and the realization of a hydrogen energy society.
(※1) Cathode: Refers to the hydrogen generating electrode (air electrode) where the oxygen reduction reaction occurs. When using water electrolysis (PEWE), it becomes a hydrogen generating pole.
(※2) Anode: Refers to the oxygen generating electrode (fuel electrode) where the hydrogen oxidation reaction occurs. When using water electrolysis (PEWE), it becomes a hydrogen generating pole.
(※3)OER catalyst: A catalyst that activates the oxygen evolution reaction (Oxygen Evolution Reaction).
(※4) Zero-emission vehicles: Refers to vehicles that emit no greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide during driving, including electric vehicles (EV) and fuel cell vehicles (FCV). In English, it is usually represented by “zero-emission vehicle” (ZEV). In the United States, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV) are also called zero-emission vehicles.
(※5)e-fuel: Petroleum alternative fuel produced through the chemical reaction of carbon dioxide (CO2) and hydrogen (H2).
■About Tanaka Precious Metals Group
Since the Tanaka Precious Metals Group was founded in 1885 (Meiji 18), its business scope has been centered on precious metals and it has carried out a wide range of activities. The company has a very considerable trading volume of precious metals in Japan, and has been sparing no effort over the years to manufacture and sell industrial precious metal products, as well as provide precious metal products as gemstones, jewelry and assets. In addition, as an expert group related to precious metals, various group companies in Japan and abroad integrate manufacturing, sales and technology, and work together to provide products and services. In 2022 (as of March 2023), the group’s total revenue is 680 billion yen and it has 5,355 employees.
Post time: Nov-13-2023