Solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell

Perfluorocarbon-sulfonic acid ionomer Perfluoro-sulfonylfluoride ethyl-propyl-vinyl ether Photovoltaic Solid oxide fuel cell Solid polymer electrolyte Thermal energy Tetrafluorethylene... 

Fuel cells are typically classified by the type of electrolyte. Apart from certain specialty types, the five major types of fuel cells are alkaline fuel cell (AFC), polymer electrolyte fuel cell (PEMFC), phosphoric acid fuel cell (PAFC), molten carbonate fuel cell (MCFC), and solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC). 

Fig. 5 Schematic cross section of the simplified planar anode-electrode-cathode structure of two typical fuel cells a polymer-electrolyte membrane fuel ceU and b solid oxide fuel cell. See Color Plates...

Fuel cells can be classified by the kind of electrolyte, there are Alkali fuel cells (AFCs), Polymer electrolyte fuel cells (PEFCs), Phosphoric acid fuel cells (PAFCs), Molten carbonate fuel cells (MCFCs) and Solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs). 

The most important features associated with fuel cell technologies are energy conversion efficiency, durability (or life time), and cost. These are common characteristic features among various fuel cells such as phosphoric acid fuel cells (PAFC), molten carbonate fuel cells (MCFC), polymer electrolyte fuel cells (PEFC), and solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC). For comparison among fuel cells, applications in... 

Fuel cells are usually classified by the electrolyte employed in the cell. An exception to this classification is DMFC (direct methanol fuel cell) that is a fuel cell in which methanol is directly fed to the anode. The electrolyte of this cell does not determine the class. The operating temperature for each of the fuel cells can also determine the class. There are, thus, low- and high-temperature fuel cells. Low-temperature fuel cells are alkaline fuel cells (AFCs), polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs), DMFC, and phosphoric acid fuel cells (PAFCs). The high-temperature fuel cells operate at temperatures —600-1000 °C and two different types have been developed, molten carbonate fuel cells (MCFC) and solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs). AU types of fuel cells are presented in the following sections in order of increasing operating temperature. An overview of the fuel cell types is given in Table 1.1 [1,5-7]. 

Fig. 11. Solid polymer electrolyte (SPE) fuel cell (a) cell design and (b) power curve at 25°C.

The most promising fuel cell for transportation purposes was initially developed in the 1960s and is called the proton-exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC). Compared with the PAFC, it has much greater power density state-of-the-art PEMFC stacks can produce in excess of 1 kWA. It is also potentially less expensive and, because it uses a thin solid polymer electrolyte sheet, it has relatively few sealing and corrosion issues and no problems associated tvith electrolyte dilution by the product water. 

As with batteries, differences in electrolytes create several types of fuel cells. The automobile s demanding requirements for compactness and fast start-up have led to the Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) fuel cell being the preferred type. This fuel cell has an electrolyte made of a solid polymer. 

A membrane ionomer, in particular a polyelectrolyte with an inert backbone such as Nation . They require a plasticizer (typically water) to achieve good conductivity levels and are associated primarily, in their protonconducting form, with solid polymer-electrolyte fuel cells. 

Membrane-type fuel cells. The electrolyte is a polymeric ion-exchange membrane the working temperatures are 60 to 100°C. Such systems were first used in Gemini spaceships. These fuel cells subsequently saw a rather broad development and are known as (solid) polymer electrolyte or proton-exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs). 

Fuel cells (hydrogen-oxygen, hydrogen-air, methanol-air) and industrial electrolysis (water, chlor-alkali) using ion-exchange membranes are the most demanding applications for the membranes. In these apphcations, the membranes have often been designated as SPE, which can be read as solid polymer electrolyte or solid... 

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