Proton exchange membrane fuel cell cost efficiency

There are six different types of fuel cells (Table 1.6) (1) alkaline fuel cell (AFC), (2) direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC), (3) molten carbonate fuel cell (MCFC), (4) phosphoric acid fuel cell (PAFC), (5) proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC), and (6) the solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC). They all differ in applications, operating temperatures, cost, and efficiency. 

Bulk production of hydrogen via electrolysis appears improbable until renewable or nuclear electricity becomes widely available and considerably cheaper than at present. The principal attribute of electrolytic hydrogen is its ultra-purity, which is an important requirement for proton-exchange membrane fuel cells. Nevertheless, the use of valuable electricity to electrolyze water and then feeding the resultant hydrogen to a fuel cell is intrinsically wasteful by virtue of the combined inefficiencies of the two devices involved. This really only makes sense in situations where there is more electricity than can be consumed as such, or where there are reasons for wanting hydrogen that transcend considerations of efficiency and cost. 

Nanofibre for use in proton exchange membrane fuel cells has been a focus of research during the last 5 years. These fuel cells have the potential for high thermodynamic efficiency and almost zero emissions, but are currently hindered by high cost of the platinum-based catalyst and low durability. Carbon nanofibre webs as a supporting medium for platinum nanoparticles have been employed [46]. 

The commercialization of proton exchange membrane fiiel cells (PEMFCs) is now challenged by the high cost of noble metal catalysts such as Pt. For H2 fueled PEMFCs, H2 oxidation is rapid at the Pt anode whereas the oxygen reduction is slow at the Pt cathode. In addition to the attempts to facilitate the electrocatalytic reaction, alloying of Pt as well as replacement of Pt have been pursued. Another attempt is to increase the efficiency of the Pt catalyst and thus to decrease the amount... 

The high-cost of materials and efficiency limitations that chemical fuel cells currently have is a topic of primaiy concern. For a fuel cell to be effective, strong acidic or alkaline solutions, high temperatures and pressures are needed. Most fuel cells use platinum as catalyst, which is expensive, limited in availability, and easily poisoned by carbon monoxide (CO), a by-product of many hydrogen production reactions in the fuel cell anode chamber. In proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells, the type of fuel used dictates the appropriate type of catalyst needed. Within this context, tolerance to CO is an important issue. It has been shown that the PEM fuel cell performance drops significantly with a CO con-... 

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