Product design automotive fuel cell

Ballard Power Systems unveiled the world s first production-ready PEM fuel cell for automotive use at the Detroit Auto Show. The 70-kilowatt unit was to be the basic design to be used by carmakers such as DaimlerChrysler and Ford in the first generation of fuel cell cars, promised for 2004. Also at the Detroit Auto Show, Ford showed a fuel cell version of its new small Focus model, and General Motors showed a fuel cell demonstrator version of a new hybrid five-passenger car, the Precept. 

The cost imperative comes into play greatly with fuel cell membrane assemblies. It is up to the automotive chemist to design ways to improve the cost structure of these assemblies. For instance, the perfluorosulfonic membrane (Nafion) by DuPont is a very expensive component [13], Other companies, such as Arkema and PolyFuel, are proposing other films as a cost alternative to the Nafion product [14,15], The precious metal catalyst used in membrane assemblies is applied to carbon using batch methods if other deposition methods (such as vapor deposition) can be developed, cost can be reduced [12],... 

It should also be emphasized the ecological aspects inherent to biofuel cells that contrarily to fuel cells, require no metal catalysts (platinum, nickel, palladium, rhodium, iridium, etc.). Indeed, materials, fuels, and products used in the design of all biofuel cells are biodegradable. Consequently, these biofuel cells are not subjected to major economic issues related to metal catalyst. Indeed, the increasing demand for strategic metals and metal alloys by high-tech industries, aerospace or automotive industry causes a process of depletion of these materials. 

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