In each cell hydrogen passes through a platinum catalyst, which strips hydrogen's one electron away from its one proton.

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The bank estimates an increase in platinum auto-catalyst demand by more than 400, 000 ounces over 300, 000 ounces in palladium in 2011.

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Platinum: As a primarily industrial metal, platinum plays the role of catalyst in the processing of petroleum and chemicals such as nitric acid, fertilizers and synthetic fibers.

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Fuel cells come in several varieties, but the heart of the sort developed by Ballard is a polymer membrane coated on either side with platinum electrodes (the platinum also acts as a catalyst).

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Platinum likely will need some form of catalyst to regain its upper hand against gold, Zarembski said.

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In this, the electrolyte is a polymer membrane coated with platinum, a metal that acts as a catalyst for the chemistry involved.

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The Zevco fuel cell uses an efficient, silver-based catalyst to promote the electricity-producing reaction, instead of a traditional platinum one.

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