Fuel Cells

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Fuel Cells

• By Mardoqueo Hinojosa

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Definition

• Electricity can be converted from the energy of
  a chemical reaction. A fuel cell converts the
  chemicals hydrogen and oxygen into water, while
  in the process producing electricity.

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How do fuel cells work?

• The main purpose of a fuel cell is to produce an
  electrical current that is then used as a source
  of energy. Hydrogen and oxygen are used as
  chemicals to produce fuel cells. The fuel cell is
  based on the positive end of an electric circuit
  (anode) and negative end of the circuit
  (cathode). These ends are separated by an
  electrolyte, which is when one metal becomes the
  anode and corrodes, while the other acts as the
  cathode. The electric current is produced with
  the chemical reaction of the fuel and the
  oxidant. The fuel cells get the electrons from
  the hydrogen atoms. Then, the electrons move from
  the anode to the cathode. This is what creates
  the electric current ends providing us with
  energy (power).

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Advantages

• If fuel cells can be produced for automobiles,
  pollution rates can drop significantly.
• The only waste of this hydrogen fuel cell would
  be the water that gets disposed, which can be
  used to avoid the overheating of the engine that
  produces the cell.

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References

• Nice, Karim. How Fuel Cells Work. 1998-2004. How
  Stuff Works Inc. http//www.howstuffworks.com/fuel
  -cells.htm.
• Young, G. Fuel Cells Volume II. Reinhold
  Publishing Corporation. New York. 1963.
• Plasma Polymerized Electrolyte Membranes and
  Electrodes for Miniaturized Fuel Cells. Taylor
  Francis. Volume 190. September 2003.
• Electric Vehicles. Federal Energy Technology.
  1999.
• Callister, D. W. Fundamentals of Materials
  Science and Engineering 2nd edition. Wiley and
  Sons, 2004