Why Do We Need a Fuel Cell

In this context, it is interesting to compare the very slow development of fuel cells to that of primary and secondary batteries. In the mid-1960s the Li-thionyl chloride 

The history of the development of the li-ion battery is similar. Attempts to develop a rechargeable battery based on metallic lithium failed, but a totally new concept was introduced sometime in the mid-1980s (cf Section 20.3.4). This is still a very active field of R D, aiming at improving the performance and reducing the price, but the first commercial li-ion batteries were introduced just a few years after it had been invented, and within a decade this too became a multibillion product world wide. Thus the vicious circle argument used to explain the lack of success of fuel cells applies equally well to primary and rechargeable li batteries, but did not prevent their commercial success. 

Direct methanol fuel cells are the most extensively funded (and consequently studied) fuel cells at present. Will they ever replace Li-ion batteries in applications for mobile electronic devices, such as laptops, mobile phones, video cameras and of course electric cars. Leaving prophecy to the reader, let us just make the following 

1) A single cell in a U-ion battery provides a voltage of about 3.6 V, and it is plausible that this value will increase to about 4.5 V within the next decade. In comparison, a DMFC operated at close to ambient temperature delivers a voltage of about 0.4 V. 

2) It is often stated that the real breakthrough in DMFC development will come when catalysts that do not contain noble metals are found. This may be true, but remember that Li-ion batteries never required noble metal electrodes  

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