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How Fuel Cells Work
The following schematic demonstrates the principle behind all fuel cells:
Inside every fuel cell there is, like in a battery, a positive pole the anode and a negative one the cathode. At the anode, electrons are separated from the hydrogen atoms. This reaction is facilitated by a catalyst. This is a substance for example platinum - which covers the anode and cathode as a thin layer. The electrons are conducted into an external curcuit where they perform work. Later they return to the anode inside the cell.
In the meantime, the hydrogen atoms without the electrons they are simply called protons migrate through the electrolyte to the cathode. The electrolyte lets the protons pass but not the electrons. The electrons as describe above leave the cell at the anode into an external circuit. At the cathode, the protons and electrons are combined with oxygen to form water molecules.
Of course, there are many more details but the principle is as simple as this.
The reality, as usual, is a bit more complex. One of the problems are the physico-chemical attributes of the hydrogen itself. Hydrogen is a very very volatile gas. It liquifies at -253 centigrade. For storage, it has to be kept under high pressure, which requires comparatively thick and heavy tanks. Hydrogen is also highly explosive.
One way to address this problem is to find more efficient ways to store hydrogen. Another approach is to find ways to use more traditional fuels to power a fuel cell. This brings us to the topic of reforming fuel.
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