Fuel Cell Catalyst System Patent Granted to Schaeffler

ChangeBridge: Patent Grants - Batteries (H01M)

Published March 31st, 2026

Detected March 31st, 2026

Summary

The USPTO granted patent US12592393B2 to Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG on March 31, 2026. The patent covers a catalyst system for fuel cells and electrolyzers featuring a two-phase disperse oxide composite with doped carrier and catalyst materials. The invention includes 15 claims and represents a technical advancement in electrochemical device technology.

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What changed

The USPTO granted Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG patent US12592393B2 for a catalyst system, electrode, and fuel cell or electrolyzer. The patent discloses an electrically conductive carrier metal oxide and catalyst material forming a two-phase disperse oxide composite with differentiated near-surface pH. Both materials are doped at oxygen lattice sites with elements including nitrogen, carbon, boron, fluorine, and optionally hydrogen. The patent application was originally filed November 6, 2019, under application number 17291096.

Patent holders and manufacturers developing fuel cell or electrolyzer technology should review this patent to assess whether their products may require licensing. Technology developers should consider whether this dual-phase oxide composite approach offers advantages over existing catalyst systems. This is a routine patent grant creating no immediate compliance obligations but establishing intellectual property rights that may affect future product development strategies.

Source document (simplified)

← USPTO Patent Grants

Catalyst system, electrode and fuel cell or electrolyzer

Grant US12592393B2 Kind: B2 Mar 31, 2026

Assignee

Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG

Inventors

Moritz Wegener, Yahsar Musayev, Jeevanthi Vivekananthan, Detlev Repenning, Ladislaus Dobrenizki

Abstract

A catalyst system (9), an electrode (1) which includes the catalyst system (9), and a fuel cell (10) or an electrolyzer having at least one such electrode (1) are provided. The catalyst system (9) includes an electrically conductive carrier metal oxide and an electrically conductive, metal oxide catalyst material. A near-surface pH of the carrier metal oxide and the catalyst material differ. The catalyst material and the carrier metal oxide form an at least two-phase disperse oxide composite. The carrier metal oxide has a first crystal lattice structure having first oxygen lattice sites and first metal lattice sites, wherein the carrier metal oxide on the first oxygen lattice sites is preferably doped with at least one element from the group including nitrogen, carbon, and boron, and is optionally additionally doped with hydrogen. The carrier metal oxide has a second crystal lattice structure having second oxygen lattice sites and second metal lattice sites, wherein the catalyst material on the second oxygen lattice sites is preferably doped with fluorine and at least one element from the group including nitrogen, carbon and boron, and optionally additionally doped with hydrogen.