Scientists develop new method of making hydrogen fuel cells

Scientists from University College London (UCL) and Imperial College London believe that they can make fuel cells that are 30 per cent cheaper than existing products by replacing the heavy steel plates used between cells with printed circuit boards (PCBs).

Bipolar steel plates have traditionally acted as current conductors between individual cells, enabling fuel stacks to produce a higher overall power output.

Dr Daniel Brett of UCL’s Department of Chemical Engineering told The Engineer: ‘We have a completely new way of putting the fuel cell together.’

Traditionally, fuel-cell stacks have comprised several bipolar steel plates, each separated by a membrane electrode assembly (MEA).

The approach being developed by the London researchers would incorporate the MEA into the PCBs. ‘We put together a hot press to form this monolith that looks, touches, feels and has the same weight as the PCBs found in the motherboard of your home computer,’ said Brett.

He added that the fuel cells would be lighter than existing technologies because PCBs weigh less than the steel plates currently used. Brett also said they will have power densities equal to or better than existing fuel cells.