There seems to be a possibility that nickel compounds might help in the electrolysis of water, the reaction at the centre of hydrogen fuel cells. Researchers at the Joseph Fourier University in Grenoble, and at the French Atomic Energy Commission in Gif-sur-Yvette and attached a nickel compound that mimics hydrogenase enzymes (catalysts) and attached it to the surface of carbon nanotubes. This maximises the catalyst's surface area. The resulting material was tested using a proton-exchange membrane and produced hydrogen from a sulphuric acid solution. The result is only 1% as efficient than commercial platinum catalysts but is stable under typical fuel cell conditions, justifying further study.1

• 1. From Hydrogenases to Noble Metal-Free Catalytic Nanomaterials for H2 Production and Uptake,
  Le Goff, A., Artero V., Jousselme B., Tran P. D., Guillet N., Metaye R., Fihri A., Palacin S., and Fontecave M.
  , Science, 12/2009, Volume 326, Issue 5958, p.1384 - 1387, (2009)