PROVIDENCE, RI-Creating catalysts that can operate efficiently and last a long time is a big barrier to taking fuel-cell technology from the lab bench to the assembly line. Platinum has been the catalyst of choice for many researchers, but it has two downsides: It is expensive, and it breaks down over time. Chemists at Brown University have created a unique nanoparticle that uses far less platinum yet performs more efficiently and lasts longer than commercially available platinum catalysts for fuel cells.MORE