Fast Start-up Time Research Articles

Characterization of a highly integrated, natural convection-driven, condensing methanol reactor

A highly integrated, natural convection-driven, condensing methanol reactor with the catalyst bed, heat integration section and liquid product separation in a single pressure vessel without moving parts is successfully tested. Space-time yields of up to 600kgMeOHmcat.−3h−1 are demonstrated, comparable to other CO2-to-methanol processes. The internal recycle by natural convection is successfully achieved as well as significant heat integration. A further reduction of heat losses to the environment is needed for autothermal operation. The dynamic characteristics of the process, with fast start-up times, a high turn-down ratio add to the potential to deal with intermittent feed supply. Overall the LOGIC 2.0 reactor concept is a promising process configuration for green methanol production.

Insight into electricity production performance from dried waste activated sludge in dual chamber microbial fuel cells: Influencing factors, neural network modelling and microbial community analysis

Directly deriving electrical energy from waste activated sludge (WAS) by using microbial fuel cell (MFC) is one of the most promising alternatives to resource utilization of WAS. However, obtaining high MFC performance is still a great challenge for the full-scale implementation of MFC. Therefore, this study aimed to quantify and model the effect of different operating parameters on the performance of MFC fed with dried WAS as anode substrate. The results indicated that MFC exhibited a fast start-up time of 3 days at the inoculated anaerobic sludge: dry WAS mass ratio of 1:5. Moreover, the output voltage and power density of MFC were highly dependent of anolyte pH and temperature, WAS concentration, which was well simulated and predicted by the BPANN model. It was revealed that MFC fed with dry WAS exhibited good performance at 55ºC, pH 9.0 and WAS concentration of 16 g/L, while the stable output voltage and power density were 0.705 V and 5.248 W/m3, respectively. The anolyte temperature significantly affected microbial communities of the anode biofilm. At the phylum level, Synergistota and Proteobacteria dominated the anode biofilm at 35ºC, while Firmicutes was absolutely enriched in the anode biofilm at 55ºC. At the genus level, the predominant Advenella is detected in the anode biofilm at 35ºC, whereas the preponderant MBA03 is identified in the anode biofilm at 35ºC. The findings herein may provide a route for efficiently driving power energy from WAS, which can facilitate the fulfillment of full-scale MFC for the resource utilization of WAS.

A Direct-Digital 40 μA 100 kb/s Intracardiac Communication Receiver with 250 μs Startup Time for Low Duty-Cycle Leadless Pacemaker Synchronization.

The first commercial dual-chamber leadless pacemaker (LLPM) was introduced recently. The system combines two separate implants situated in the right atrium and the right ventricle of the heart. Implant synchronization is accomplished with conductive intracardiac communication (CIC) using the myocardium and blood as transmission channel. Successful implant synchronization of this dual-chamber LLPM has been demonstrated. However, the continuously active synchronization transceivers, consuming about 800 nA, cause a 25-45% reduction in the projected device longevity. This work proposes an alternative strategy for power-optimized LLPM synchronization, which is based on synchronous duty-cycling of the transceivers and direct-digital CIC (DD-CIC). In line with this strategy, a novel low-power DD-CIC receiver for short-packet communication based on Manchester-encoded data and with fast startup time is presented. The circuit was fabricated in 180 nm CMOS technology and analyzed with respect to sensitivity, current consumption and startup time under highly duty-cycled operation. The receiver achieves a sensitivity of 81.6±7.4 μV at a data rate of 100 kb/s, with an active current consumption of 39.1±0.6 μA and a startup time below 250 μs. Operating the receiver as specified by the proposed LLPM synchronization strategy reduces the current consumption to a measured average value of 73 nA. In conclusion, this work suggests synchronous duty-cycling for CIC-based implant synchronization as a promising concept to severely reduce the current consumption of contemporary dual-chamber LLPMs. Consequently, device longevity may be increased significantly, potentially reducing the frequency of costly and complication-prone re-interventions.

Evaluation of the venting principle to reduce start-up delays in syringe infusion pumps used for microinfusions.

Start-up delays of syringe pump assemblies can impede the timely commencement of an effective drug therapy when using microinfusions in hemodynamically unstable patients. The application of the venting principle has been proposed to eliminate start-up delays in syringe pump assemblies. However, effectively delivered infusion volumes using this strategy have so far not been measured. This invitro study used two experimental setups to measure the effect of the venting principle compared to a standard non-venting approach on delivered start-up infusion volumes at various timepoints, backflow volumes, flow inversion and zero drug delivery times by means of liquid flow measurements at flow rates of 0.5, 1.0 and 2.0 mL/h. Measured delivered initial start-up volumes were negative with all flow rates in the vented and non-vented setup. Maximum backflow volumes were 1.8 [95% CI 1.6 to 2.3] times larger in the vented setup compared to the non-vented setup (p < 0.0001). Conversely, times until flow inversion were 1.5 [95% CI 1.1 to 2.9] times shorter in the vented setup (p < 0.002). This led to comparable zero drug delivery times between the two setups (p = 0.294). Start-up times as defined by the achievement of at least 90% of steady state flow rate were achieved faster with the vented setup (p < 0.0001), but this was counteracted by the increased backflow volumes. The application of the venting principle to the start-up of microinfusions does not improve the timely delivery of drugs to the patient since the faster start-up times are counteracted by higher backflow volumes when opening the three-way stopcock.

In Situ Enhanced Yields of Microbial Nanowires: The Key Role of Environmental Stress.

The conductive microbial nanowires of Geobacter sulfurreducens serve as a model for long-range extracellular electron transfer (EET), which is considered a revolutionary "green" nanomaterial in the fields of bioelectronics, renewable energy, and bioremediation. However, there is no efficient pathway to induce microorganisms to express a large amount of microbial nanowires. Here, several strategies have been used to successfully induce the expression of microbial nanowires. Microbial nanowire expression was closely related to the concentration of electron acceptors. The microbial nanowire was around 17.02 μm in length, more than 3 times compared to its own length. The graphite electrode was used as an alternative electron acceptor by G. sulfurreducens, which obtained a fast start-up time of 44 h in microbial fuel cells (MFCs). Meanwhile, Fe(III) citrate-coated sugarcane carbon and biochar were prepared to test the applicability of these strategies in the actual microbial community. The unsatisfied EET efficiency between c-type cytochrome and extracellular insoluble electron receptors promoted the expression of microbial nanowires. Hence, microbial nanowires were proposed to be an effective survival strategy for G. sulfurreducens to cope with various environmental stresses. Based on this top-down strategy of artificially constructed microbial environmental stress, this study is of great significance for exploring more efficient methods to induce microbial nanowires expression.

Boosting bioelectricity generation using three-dimensional nitrogen-doped macroporous carbons as freestanding anode

Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) have been shown as a promising technology for sustainable energy production and wastewater treatment. However, the still relatively insignificant power generation and high costs of MFCs limit its large-scale application. Herein, we report a facile and low-cost route to construct nitrogen-doped 3D macroporous carbon (NPVP-RFC) via pyrolysis of self-assembled structure of cross-linked resorcinol–formaldehyde resin (RF), polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP) and dicyandiamide (DCDA). The as-prepared NPVP-RFC material provides a large specific surface area for high-density loading of bacteria. Moreover, the incorporation of active N species into carbon frameworks offers a hydrophilic surface with good electrolyte wettability and increased conductivity for promoting biofilm adhesion and enhancing extracellular electron transfer (EET) process, thus enabling a high-power output. Thus, the NPVP-RFC MFCs achieve fast start-up time of 2.9 days and maximum volumetric power density of 9.23 W/m3 at 21.48 A/m3. Notably, the NPVP-RFC MFCs show good and stable performance for beer brewery wastewater treatment, achieving a maximum volumetric power density of 6.38 W/m3, chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal efficiency of 84.83%, and a columbic efficiency of 35.57%. This work provides a facile and low-cost synthesis technique for fabricating high-performance MFC anodes for use in microbial energy harvesting.

System modelling and performance assessment of green hydrogen production by integrating proton exchange membrane electrolyser with wind turbine

This investigation delves into the production of green hydrogen with the aid of a polymer electrolyte membrane electrolyzer with its source of energy harnessed from wind using a vertical axis wind turbine (VAWT). The integrated numerical approach was adopted in the simulation environment of MATLAB, Simulink, and Simscape™ to develop the comprehensive mathematical model of the system. The component-level models are linked to the electrolyser, and wind turbines are modelled distinctively considering their efficiencies. The study first explores current types of electrolysers, from their operational characteristics to their merits and demerits. The Proton Exchange Membrane Electrolysers were recommended as the best electrolysis alternative due to their fast start-up time, and the technology being matured. Various power electronics required in connecting the energy from the wind turbine to the electrolyser was equally discussed. Some of these notable power electronics include the Permanent Magnet Synchronous Generators (PMSG), Full Bridge Diode Rectifier, as well as DC–DC Buck Boost Converter. The study was conducted at Warwickshire area as the location for the installation of the Proton Exchange Membrane Electrolyser System. It was however deduced that the performance of the electrolyser was predominant at higher temperatures but lower pressures. The intensity of wind also had a direct correlation to the overall performance of the electrolyser. In summary, for the wind turbine under investigation, at 1 bar pressure and operating temperature of 20 °C, 65,770 L of hydrogen was produced and this is equivalent to 4656.3 kg of hydrogen or 156.4 kWh of energy.

Computational Fluid Dynamics for Protonic Ceramic Fuel Cell Stack Modeling: A Brief Review

Protonic ceramic fuel cells (PCFCs) are one of the promising and emerging technologies for future energy generation. PCFCs are operated at intermediate temperatures (450–750 °C) and exhibit many advantages over traditional high-temperature oxygen-ion conducting solid oxide fuel cells (O-SOFCs) because they are simplified, have a longer life, and have faster startup times. A clear understanding/analysis of their specific working parameters/processes is required to enhance the performance of PCFCs further. Many physical processes, such as heat transfer, species transport, fluid flow, and electrochemical reactions, are involved in the operation of the PCFCs. These parameters are linked with each other along with internal velocity, temperature, and electric field. In real life, a complex non-linear relationship between these process parameters and their respective output cannot be validated only using an experimental setup. Hence, the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) method is an easier and more effective mathematical-based approach, which can easily change various geometric/process parameters of PCFCs and analyze their influence on its efficiency. This short review details the recent studies related to the application of CFD modeling in the PCFC system done by researchers to improve the electrochemical characteristics of the PCFC system. One of the crucial observations from this review is that the application of CFD modeling in PCFC design optimization is still much less than the traditional O-SOFC.

A PFM Boost Harvester With System-Level Self-Tuned Maximum Power Point Tracking

This article presents a low-overhead energy harvesting and delivery system (EHDS) with pulse frequency modulated (PFM) integrated voltage regulator (IVR) power conversion and self-tuned maximization of system output power. A novel load-inclusive time-based maximum power point tracking (LI-TB-MPPT) is developed to provide centralized tuning of PFM-IVR operation based on both source capabilities and load demand on-the-fly, and a configurable fractional sample and hold circuit provides adaptive harvesting window control. The proposed EHDS enables robust harvesting while relieving the use of high passives, with over two orders of magnitude reduction, at the cost of only slight decrease in end-to-end efficiency compared to prior works. Furthermore, a low-overhead wake-up assist circuit utilizes cold-configuration of harvesting sources for efficient and accelerated cold-start. The proposed EHDS is demonstrated in a 65 nm CMOS process with commercial photovoltaic energy harvesting modules. Using only 1.2 and 1 <inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\mu$</tex-math></inline-formula>H of passives, measured results show a peak 74.9&#x0025; end-to-end efficiency (simulated up to 85&#x0025; at 47<inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\mu$</tex-math></inline-formula>H) and a fast startup time of 3.8 ms. Up to 15&#x0025; increase in conversion efficiency against load and input voltage variations is achieved with LI-TB-MPPT. The results demonstrate a compact solution for self-sustained cost-restricted stand-alone systems.

High-performance anode material based on S and N co-doped graphene/iron carbide nanocomposite for microbial fuel cells

The power generation performance of microbial fuel cells (MFCs) is greatly influenced by the anode material. Here, iron carbide nanoparticles doped with nitrogen and sulfur are prepared by a simple one-step pyrolysis method and used as the anode of a medialess MFCs. The charge transfer resistance (R ct ) after biofilm formation is 12.36 Ω, while the R ct of the CC anode is 1526 Ω. Most importantly, this anode not only facilitates bacterial adhesion but also effectively promotes the transfer of extracellular electrons. Therefore, this anode has a fast start-up time of 2.9 days, a high voltage value of 636.9 mV, and an impressive power density (PD) of 3.86 W m −2 . The excellent performance of the S,N-GR/Fe 3 C/CC anode can be attributed to its outstanding biocompatibility and electrical conductivity and reveals great potential to be used in practical applications of high-performance MFCs. • Iron carbide doped with S and N can improve the performance of MFCs. • The MFCs with S,N-GR/Fe 3 C/CC anode own the peak power density of 3.86 W m −2 . • The charge transfer resistance is reduced by 123.5 times. • S,N-GR/Fe 3 C/CC anode has excellent biocompatibility.

A 5.02nW 32-kHz Self-Reference Power Gating XO With Fast Startup Time Assisted by Negative Resistance and Initial Noise Boosters

We present a 32.768 kHz crystal oscillator with ultra-low power operation and a fast startup featuring for IoT applications. A self-reference power gating scheme detects the amplitude of a clock, enabling a negative resistance booster to awake XO and keep the oscillation with a duty-cycling technique for minimizing power consumption. In addition, a relaxation oscillator injects in-band noise initially, further reducing the startup time. The prototype XO for proof-of-concept was fabricated in 0.11- $\mu \text{m}$ CMOS and fully characterized. It consumes 5.02 nW at 0.5-V supply and achieves the startup time of 1.26 s simultaneously.

Efficient Hydrogen Delivery for Microbial Electrosynthesis via 3D-Printed Cathodes.

The efficient delivery of electrochemically in situ produced H2 can be a key advantage of microbial electrosynthesis over traditional gas fermentation. However, the technical details of how to supply large amounts of electric current per volume in a biocompatible manner remain unresolved. Here, we explored for the first time the flexibility of complex 3D-printed custom electrodes to fine tune H2 delivery during microbial electrosynthesis. Using a model system for H2-mediated electromethanogenesis comprised of 3D fabricated carbon aerogel cathodes plated with nickel-molybdenum and Methanococcus maripaludis, we showed that novel 3D-printed cathodes facilitated sustained and efficient electromethanogenesis from electricity and CO2 at an unprecedented volumetric production rate of 2.2 LCH4 /Lcatholyte/day and at a coulombic efficiency of 99%. Importantly, our experiments revealed that the efficiency of this process strongly depends on the current density. At identical total current supplied, larger surface area cathodes enabled higher methane production and minimized escape of H2. Specifically, low current density (<1 mA/cm2) enabled by high surface area cathodes was found to be critical for fast start-up times of the microbial culture, stable steady state performance, and high coulombic efficiencies. Our data demonstrate that 3D-printing of electrodes presents a promising design tool to mitigate effects of bubble formation and local pH gradients within the boundary layer and, thus, resolve key critical limitations for in situ electron delivery in microbial electrosynthesis.

An Assessment of Novel Graphene Foam and Graphene-Based Microporous Layers for Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cells: Fabrication and Characterisation.

Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cells (PEFC) are electro-chemical energy conversion devices capable of providing sustainable transport, stationary and portable solutions, owing to their high-power density and fast start-up time. However, water management remains one of the largest barriers limiting fuel cell efficiency and the wide scale deployment of PEFC. The microporous layer (MPL) of PEFC is widely acknowledged as a crucial, performance enhancing component; increasing cell efficiency and durability, largely by the improved management of liquid water and two-phase flow.The purpose of this research is to develop a greater understanding of how composition affects MPL microstructure and morphology, and ultimately identifying strategies to improve fuel cell efficiency. Here we present the fabrication and characterisation of novel MPLs produced from graphene-based materials. Graphene-based materials are a highly promising MPL material, due to their unique physical structure and their excellent electric and thermal conductivity. MPLs were produced from graphene-based materials and compared to conventional carbon black. The graphene-based materials studied were; graphene foam, derived from pyrolysis of sodium ethoxide (GF); graphene nanoplatelets (GN); and multi-wall carbon nanotubes (CNT). The synergetic effect of carbons with different aspects was also studied by the fabrication of composite MPLs mixed with conventional carbon black. Analysis of the performance enhancement and water management capabilities of the MPLs was conducted through microstructural and physical ex-situ characterisation, and polarisation measurements at 100% and 20% relative humidity (RH).Detailed analysis of the physical characteristics, morphology and microstructure provides an insight into how MPL architecture can be optimised to facilitate mass transport and negate flooding issues whilst maintaining membrane hydration. Thus, graphene-based materials hold the potential to optimise the MPL’s ability for reactant, heat and electron transport, over a range of operating conditions, and so improving overall cell efficiency.

Design and Simulation of an S-Band Relativistic Inverted Magnetron

A high-power relativistic inverted magnetron oscillator (IMO) operating in the S-band is designed and numerically simulated using the massively parallel electromagnetic particle-in-cell code [improved concurrent electromagnetic particle-in-cell code (ICEPIC)]. This inverted magnetron is designed for optimum operation at ~2.5 GHz for magnetic fields ranging from 0.09 to 0.15 T and voltages extending from ~190 to 360 kV. Simulations in the above mentioned voltage/magnetic field range predict a device capable of operating in a single dominant $\pi $ mode with little to no mode competition, fast startup times, and high output power exceeding 500 MW in many cases sampled. This design eliminates a common source of energy loss in standard relativistic magnetrons and downstream end-loss current. The IMO also eliminates the need for extended waveguide structures and combiners common for magnetrons that require radial RF extraction. This is done by radiating RF energy axially through the use of a dual-ring radiator. The dual-ring radiator excites the TM01 mode in a single downstream waveguide that maybe then directed toward an antenna. The S-band IMO-simulated RF output power efficiencies are typically near 15% with RF output power ranging from 250 MW to ~1 GW at the highest voltages sampled. ICEPIC models show key segments of the design that may undergo excessive electromagnetic field stress during saturation. Such stress may ultimately lead to plasma formation and performance degradation; however, this may be mitigated via alternate materials, voltage derating, and further design refinement. In the simulation, the S-band IMO exhibits stable, robust, and reliable performance in the desired mode over a range of voltages and magnetic fields.

Task-Container Matching Game for Computation Offloading in Vehicular Edge Computing and Networks

Parked Vehicle (PV) assistance in vehicular edge computing and networks is proposed to exploit underutilized computing resources from PVs for enhancing the resource capacity at the edge vehicular network. Containerization is used to improve task execution of PVs with fast start-up time, less hardware overheads and safe resource isolation. To this end, we introduce a task-container matching market to provide on-demand offloading services. For network implementation, the related entities including requesters, PVs with containers as performers and a service provider are described. Considering parking behaviors and resource availability, we measure the serviceabilities of PVs to select appropriate PVs for reliable and efficient task processing. According to utility functions, preference profiles of requesters and performers in the task-container matching market are modeled through the best response analysis. Finally, we apply matching game approach to cope with associations between tasks and containers deployed inside PVs. Numerical results demonstrate that compared with baseline schemes, our scheme accomplishes more tasks and acquires a higher overall utility in computation offloading.

A 2.5 ppm/°C 1.05-MHz Relaxation Oscillator With Dynamic Frequency-Error Compensation and Fast Start-Up Time

This paper presents a 1.05 MHz, on-chip RC relaxation oscillator (ROSC) with a temperature coefficient (TC) of 2.5 ppm/°C and an absolute variation of 100 ppm over the body-compatible range of 0-40°C. The TC increases to 4.3 ppm/°C over the range from -15 °C to 55 °C. The high temperature stability is achieved using a PTAT current reference and a TC-tunable resistor bank for first-order frequency error compensation along with a digital frequency compensation (DFC) block using a single-bit temperature sensor for second-order compensation. A measured RMS period jitter of 160 ps is achieved with a high-speed comparator. The active power consumption of the ROSC is 69 μW with a 1-V supply, and the leakage power consumption is 110 nW, while power gated. The ROSC achieves a fast startup time of 8 μs by employing a voltage buffer to quickly stabilize the voltage reference.

High-Performance Switched-Capacitor Boost–Buck Integrated Power Converters

This paper presents the design of integrated boost and buck switched-capacitor power converters with high efficiency and fast start-up time. An analysis method is determined to evaluate the key performance parameters of integrated power converters, and techniques are proposed to improve the energy conversion efficiency and the dynamic response. Boost and buck structures are modeled and compared in static and transient conditions, including the losses due to parasitic elements. A switch bootstrapping technique prevents short-circuit losses, improves driving capability and start-up time, and enhances the overall efficiency. Moreover, the application of a charge-reuse technique reduces the dynamic power losses of the integrated structures. Prototypes of the integrated power converters were fabricated in a 180-nm CMOS process. Measurement results based on the proposed techniques are presented, demonstrating the improvements in steady-state and transient characteristics with a good correlation between measured and predicted results.

FeS2 Nanoparticles Decorated Graphene as Microbial-Fuel-Cell Anode Achieving High Power Density.

Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) have received great attention worldwide due to their potential in recovering electrical energy from waste and inexhaustible biomass. Unfortunately, the difficulty of achieving the high power, especially in real samples, remains a bottleneck for their practical applications. Herein, FeS2 nanoparticles decorated graphene is fabricated via a simple hydrothermal reaction. The FeS2 nanoparticles decorated graphene anode not only benefits bacterial adhesion and enrichment of electrochemically active Geobacter species on the electrode surface but also promotes efficient extracellular electron transfer, thus giving rise to a fast start-up time of 2 d, an unprecedented power density of 3220 mW m-2 and a remarkable current density of 3.06 A m-2 in the acetate-feeding and mixed bacteria-based MFCs. Most importantly, the FeS2 nanoparticles decorated graphene anode successfully achieves a power density of 310 mW m-2 with simultaneous removal of 1319 ± 28 mg L-1 chemical oxygen demand in effluents from a beer factory wastewater. The characteristics of improved power generation and enhanced pollutant removal efficiency opens the door toward development of high-performance MFCs via rational anode design for practical application.

Improving concentrating solar power plant performance by increasing steam turbine flexibility at start-up

Among concentrating solar power technologies, solar tower power plants currently represent one of the most promising ones. Direct steam generation systems, in particular, eliminate the usage of heat transfer fluids allowing for the power block to be run at greater operating temperatures and therefore further increasing the thermal efficiency of the power cycle. On the other hand, the current state of the art of these systems does not comprise thermal energy storage. The lack of storage adds to the already existing variability of operating conditions that all concentrating power plants endure due to the fluctuating nature of the solar supply. One way of improving this situation is increasing the operating flexibility of power block components to better adapt to the varying levels of solar irradiance.In particular, it is desirable for the plant to achieve fast start-up times in order to be available to harness as much solar energy as possible. However, the start-up speed of the whole plant is limited by the thermal inertia of certain key components, one of which is the steam turbine. This paper studies the potential for power plant performance improvement through the increase of steam turbine flexibility at the time of start-up. This has been quantified by carrying out power plant techno-economic studies in connection with steam turbine thermo-mechanic behavior analysis. Different turbine flexibility investigations involving the use of retrofitting measures to keep the turbine warmer during offline periods or changing the operating map of the turbine have been tested through multi-objective optimization considering annual power performance and operating costs. Results show that reductions of up to 11% on the levelized cost of electricity are possible through the implementation of these measures.

Palladium Alloy Based Nanocomposite as an Efficient Anode and Cathode Electrocatalyst for Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cell

Polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) has the capacity to efficiently convert chemical energy into electrical energy to meet the future energy requirements. High efficiency, zero pollution, low operating temperature and fast start-up time are the advantages of hydrogen based PEMFC, which makes it a promising candidate for transportation and portable applications. Platinum and platinum alloy based nanomaterials are the most commonly used electro-catalysts for both hydrogen oxidation reaction (HOR) as well as oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in PEMFC due to its high catalytic activity and resistance to corrosion. However, the commercialization of PEMFC has been hindered by the high cost of platinum and less abundance. Hence, platinum free electrocatalysts with comparable activity have been widely investigated. Investigations of Palladium based electrocatalyst suggest that it is a good alternative for platinum based electrocatalyst. Further, the reduction in the cost of catalyst can be achieved by alloying palladium with transition metal. Furthermore, to achieve high catalytic activity, significant advances in catalyst support materials and proper utilization of catalysts are still needed. The complete utilization of the catalyst can be achieved by choosing a good support material with high surface area and good electrical conductivity. With the goal of reducing the cost of electrocatalyst with a good fuel cell performance, present work is focused on the preparation of palladium-transition metal (Pd-TM) alloy nanoparticles supported on partially exfoliated carbon nanotubes (PCNT) as an efficient anode as well as cathode electrocatalyst. PCNT has the combined structure of 1D multiwalled carbon nanotubes and 2D graphene and shows a synergistic effect of good conductivity and high surface area. The improvement in electrical conductivity helps in quick electron transport while enhancement in surface area provides the more anchoring sites to disperse catalyst nanoparticles. Figure 1 shows the TEM image of Pd-TM alloy nanoparticles supported on PCNT. It shows uniform dispersion of catalyst nanoparticles on the support material. Both half-cell and full cell measurements were carried out with this material and it showed significant performance. Pd-TM alloy/PCNT nanocomposite prepared in the present work exhibits good HOR and ORR activity and the work discusses the approach and the results. Figure 1