1. Fuel Cell What is it?

2. It is: First of all, GENIOUS! (50-70% efficiency) Safe and green (Water as a byproduct) Expensive… (1000$/Kw 2002, 30$/Kw 2007)

3. The technical stuff A single fuel cell consists of three parts mainly. Anode Membrane Cathode Sandwiched together in that very order. The anode and cathode is coated with one of metals in the Platinum group. Which are the greatest metals for catalysis. The electrolyte is a membrane between the anode and cathode. This membrane is usually made of Teflon.

4. Single Fuel Cell

5. But still how does it work? The anode and the cathode act as catalysts. That means that they brake up stuff, literally. So we have one catalyst at both sides, both working hard to brake up the stuff. The stuff is Hydrogen on the Anodes side and Oxygen on the Cathode side. The Anode breaks down the Hydrogen to Protons and Electrons. The Protons goes through the membrane, the Electrons try that to but since the membrane is constructed not to let that happen they need to find another way. This way in our picture is through a lamp to make it light up. Then the Electrons travel down to meet the Protons and the Oxygen. Which will become water vapor and water.

6. Now that you now how it works. Fuel cell today is used to different things. Stationary (Backup power) Portable (To power a laptop) Transport (Cars,busses and more) These different tasks require different fuel cell technology. The one we have been talking about is PEMFC ( Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel cell) which is used for transport.

7. To the fun stuff! The small PEMFC plastic car.

8. Sources http://www.bwt-group.com/NR/rdonlyres/3FD5ACA0-C990-4655-AB0D- 53994FDDE9BD/7492/pemfc.jpg http://www.fctec.com/fctec_types_pem.asp http://www.stanford.edu/group/fuelcell/images/fuel%20cell%20components.jpg http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fuel_cells http://www.ballard.com/be_informed/fuel_cell_technology/how_the_technology_works