Polymers fuel cell technology

D. Wilkinson, A. Steck, "General Progress in the Research of Solid Polymer Fuel Cell Technology at Ballard," Proceedings of the Second International Symposium on New Materials for Fuel Cell and Modern Battery Systems, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, July 6-10, 1997. 

Fuel cell technology probably offers a new emerging area for polyheterocyclic polymers as membranes. Fuel cells are interesting in transport applications and are now being evaluated in Chicago in transit buses with a 275-hp engine working with three 13 kW Ballard fuel cell stacks. 

Progress continues in fuel cell technology since the previous edition of the Fuel Cell Handbook was published in November 1998. Uppermost, polymer electrolyte fuel cells, molten carbonate fuel cells, and solid oxide fuel cells have been demonstrated at commercial size in power plants. The previously demonstrated phosphoric acid fuel cells have entered the marketplace with more than 220 power plants delivered. Highlighting this commercial entry, the phosphoric acid power plant fleet has demonstrated 95+% availability and several units have passed 40,000 hours of operation. One unit has operated over 49,000 hours. 

Advanced solid polymer fuel cells for operation at temperature up to 200°C (CIc Sri (I), Technical University of Denmark (DK), Foundation for Research and Technology Hellas (CR)). 

Electrochemical gas detection instruments have been developed which use a hydrated solid polymer electrolyte sensor cell to measure the concentration of specific gases, such as CO, in ambient air. These instruments are a spin-off of GE aerospace fuel cell technology. Since no liquid electrolyte is used, time-related problems associated with liquid electrolytes such as corrosion or containment are avoided. This paper describes the technical characteristics of the hydrated SPE cell as well as recent developments made to further improve the performance and extend the scope of applications. These recent advances include development of NO and NO2 sensor cells, and cells in which the air sample is transported by diffusion rather than a pump mechanism. 

Solid Polymer Electrolyte (SPE) Fuel Cells McElrov, J. Status of Solid Electrolyte Fuel Cell Technology. National Fuel Cell Seminar Abstracts, San Francisco, California, July 11-13, 1978, pp. 176-179. 

Without considering batteries and other chemical storage devices, there are effectively six types of primary or direct fuel cell technologies currently being developed alkaline fuel cells (AFC), polymer electrolyte fuel... 

Fuel cells are classified primarily according to the nature of the electrolyte. Moreover, the nature of the electrolyte governs the choices of the electrodes and the operation temperatures. Shown in table 10.1 are the fuel cell technologies currently under development. "" Technologies attracting attention toward development and commercialization include direct methanol (DMFC), polymer electrolyte membrane (PEMFC), solid-acid (SAFC), phosphoric acid (PAFC), alkaline (AFC), molten carbonate (MCFC), and solid-oxide (SOFC) fuel cells. This chapter is aimed at the solid-oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) and related electrolytes used for the fabrication of cells. 

Rimbu, G.A. et ah. The morphology control of polyaniline as conducting polymer in fuel cell technology, J. Optoelectron. Adv. Mater, 8, 670, 2006. 

S. Srinivasan, D.J. Manko, H. Koch, M.A. Enayetullah, and A.J. Applehy. Recent advances in solid polymer electrolyte fuel-cell technology with low platinum loading electrodes. Journal of Power Sources 29, 367-387 1990. 

In this chapter, we will focus our discussion on the single polymer electrolyte fuel cell and will describe only briefly fuel cell stacks and complete power systems based on such cells. We will show how R D efforts at the cell level enhanced the understanding of key factors which determine PEFC performance, cost, and reliability and, consequently, enabled significant recent advancements in this fuel cell technology. 

In the development of fuel-cell technology based on this unique polymer electrolyte, special chapters in electrochemical science and engineering have emerged, addressing the fuel-cell ionomeric membrane itself and the optimized fabrication of MEAs. The invention of Nafion, a poly(perfluorosulfonic acid) (poly(PFSA)) at DuPont in the 1960s, was, in fact, a key (if not the key) milestone in the development of PEFC technology. The chemical and mechanical properties of such poly(PFSA) extruded membranes, which are based on a perfluorocar-bon backbone, enabled to achieve stable materials properties and, consequently,... 

For at least the first half of the 21st century the world will continue to rely heavily on petroleum and coal as fuels and as hydrocarbon sources for use in making polymers, etc. Improved versions of existing catalysts, as well as new catalysts/processes, will be vital in making an orderly transition from reliance on nonrenewable resources. Included in this will be the continued development of practicable fuel cell technology and processes for synthesizing clean fuels from coal, tar sands, etc. Catalysis will play a role in the shift toward increased use of renewable/recycled materials and in efforts to minimize air pollution. Catalysts that mimic... 

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