Recent Developments of Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cell Design

Abstract

PEMFC has high potential for future development due to its high energy density, eco-friendliness, and high energy effi-ciency. When it becomes small, light and flexible, it can be competitive as an energy source for portable devices or flexible electronic devices. However, the use of hard and heavy materials for structural rigidity and uniform contact pressure trans-mission has become an obstacle to reducing the weight and flexibility of PEMFCs. This review intends to provide an exam-ple of the application of a new structure and material for lightweight and flexibility. As a lightweight PEMFC, a tubular design is presented and structural advantages through numerical modeling are explained. Manufacturing methods to realize the structural advantages and possibilities of tubular PEMFCs are discussed. In addition, the materials and manufacturing processes used to fabricate lightweight and flexible PEMFCs are described and factors affecting performance are analyzed. Strategies and structural improvements of light and flexible movements are discussed according to the component parts.