Proton exchange membrane fuel cells: fundamentals, advanced technologies, and practical applications

Proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells emerged as promising substitute to fossil fuels. The potential to reduce overall energy consumption, zero carbon emission, and high energy density makes PEM fuel cells suitable for plethora of applications. In last few years, research interest in PEM fuel cell has been boosted with the growth in green energy requirements. PEM fuel cell technology is considered to most suitable for transportation sector and portable energy frameworks. Many vehicles and portable electronic devices have been commercialized in past decades. However, the commercialization of PEM fuel cells suffers from two major hurdles, that is, high cost and low durability. Several efforts have been made to overcome these two hurdles. It is crucial to understand the fundamentals related to each component of fuel cell before improving its performance. In this chapter, attempts have been made to provide insight understanding related to each component of PEM fuel cell. The technological status and practical application of PEM fuel cells are addressed. A summary related to need of futuristic research prior to the development of PEM fuel cell is presented.