ECI

Unit Conversion Data for Hydrogen

Fuel Cells

What are fuel cells?

Fuel cells are devices for generating electric power. They share many of the characteristics of a battery - silent operation, no moving parts and an electrochemical reaction to generate power. However, unlike a battery, fuel cells need no recharging and will run indefinitely when supplied with fuel. The cells produce electricity by combining hydrogen (the fuel) and oxygen (from air) over a catalyst such as platinum.There are several different types of fuel cell  but the most researched type is the proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell, which contains platinum catalysts. PEM fuel cells are capable of being used in power generation for buildings, instead of batteries or generators in portable equipment and as replacements for the internal combustion engine in a vehicle.

Articles

• Fuel-Cell Boom Hampered by Need for Platinum, GE Says
• Finding a suitable platinum substitute for fuel cells
• Trading