Developments of Foam Materials for Fuel Cell Technology

Fuel cells use a modest hydrogen molecule and join it with air to produce electricity. Its benign by-products, heat and water, are far from the noxious gases produced though fossil fuel generation of electricity. The simplicity of fuel cell technology is also one of the problems of fuel cell technology. The materials currently being used in fuel cells have essentially remained the same for the last 25 years. Effective flow plate design is one of the key strategies for improving the performance and durability and reducing the cost and weight of Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) fuel cells. Open pore cellular foam materials are reviewed and evaluated, with the finding that they are a promising potential as a flow plate material that could reduce the cost and weight, simplify manufacture and increase the efficiency of PEM fuel cells.