Johnson Matthey is a speciality chemicals company and a world leader in advanced materials technology. The group focuses on its core skills in catalysts, precious metals and fine chemicals, developing products that enhance the quality of life for millions around the world.

Since its foundation as a precious metals assayer in 1817, Johnson Matthey has continued to develop new technology, demonstrating its ability to maintain world leadership by adapting constantly to the ever-changing needs of customers. Today the company employs around 7,700 people in over 30 countries across the globe and its principal activities reflect its core skills.

Johnson Matthey is synonymous with precious metals and is the world's largest fabricator and distributor of platinum group metals (pgm) and a market leader in the refining of gold and silver. For the global pharmaceutical industry, Johnson Matthey works in partnership with its customers to develop and supply active pharmaceutical ingredients such as the world leading platinum based anticancer drugs, cisplatin and carboplatin. Johnson Matthey also applies its expertise in precious metals and materials technology, supplying coatings and surface treatment for glass and other applications.

In catalysis, Johnson Matthey is a world leader in the manufacture of catalysts for vehicle exhaust emissions control and a leader in catalyst systems for the reduction of volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions from industrial processes. It supplies high performance catalysts into a diverse range of global markets and is world leader in catalysts and components for the emerging fuel cells market.

Today, Johnson Matthey's long term commitment to investment in research and development, as well as in new manufacturing technologies and production facilities, enables the company to exploit the potential for growth in many of its key product areas.

Johnson Matthey Announces Agreement with PolyFuel on Supply of Membranes for Portable Fuel Cell Market


Johnson Matthey and PolyFuel, Inc., have entered into an agreement for PolyFuel to provide Johnson Matthey with the PolyFuel hydrocarbon direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) membrane intended for fuel cells to power portable devices. Johnson Matthey will use these membranes in the manufacture of catalyst coated membranes (CCMs) and membrane electrode assemblies (MEAs), which are the part of a fuel cell that transforms fuel into electricity.

Johnson Matthey is a leader in fuel cell catalysts, in marrying catalysts and membranes, and in engineering, manufacturing and selling the catalyst coated membranes and membrane electrode assemblies. Under the terms of the agreement Johnson Matthey Fuel Cells will be a PolyFuel "channel partner" and will purchase PolyFuel's DMFC hydrocarbon membranes to manufacture a variety of CCM and MEA products for the portable fuel cell market.

Dr. Jonathan Frost, Director of Johnson Matthey Fuel Cells said: "A high volume, portable fuel cell market will be an important driver in the development and widespread use of fuel cells in all applications. Strategically, this is an important business for us. Designers of methanol fuelled portable fuel cells feel that PolyFuel’s membranes have advantages for their devices and now we can offer CCMs and MEAs that combine PolyFuel’s hydrocarbon membranes with Johnson Matthey’s strengths in catalysts and MEA design."

Jim Balcom, President and CEO of PolyFuel said: "This announcement is significant on several fronts. First, it serves notice to portable device manufacturers and fuel cell manufacturers that high-performance DMFC CCMs and MEAs will soon be available commercially, and from a top industry supplier as well. This should help to accelerate that market and encourage a widening of development efforts. Second, it signals a close collaboration between PolyFuel and Johnson Matthey that should result in impressive new developments in membrane, catalyst and MEA technology by virtue of their symbiosis. Third, to observers of PolyFuel, in combination with our recent disclosure that NEC and Sanyo are the first publicly announced users of our membranes, this demonstrates the momentum we are seeing in the market."

Balcom elaborated: "Our membrane is being closely evaluated by virtually every significant battery, fuel cell, and portable electronic manufacturer out there. Now, for the first time, these companies will have a choice to purchase this membrane either directly from PolyFuel or integrated into CCMs or MEAs from Johnson Matthey."

Johnson Matthey is an Equal Opporrtunity Employer.