Basics of fuel cells and batteries

Overview The English chemist Humphrey Davy wrote in 1812 If a piece of zinc and a piece of copper be brought in contact with each other, they will form a weak electrical combination, of which the zinc will be positive, and the copper negative. . . so initiating the history of the electrochemical cell. But it was Michael Faraday who, in 1834, laid the foundations of quantitative electrochemistry by relating the quantity of a substance electrolysed to the amount of electrical charge involved. 

It is from these foundations that electrochemistry has evolved and which now provides the scientific basis to the technology of electrochemical cells. 

The various types of fuel cell currently under development and described by Larminie and Dicks [6] are listed below. 

The polymer electrolyte membrane or proton exchange membrane (PEM) cell. 

The SOFC will be the major concern here although it will be helpful to consider first the elements of the PEM cell since not only is it a very strong contender for large-scale use, but its basic science is simple. 

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