Fuel Cells

Fuel cells use fuel and oxygen to produce electrical energy

• A fuel cell is an electrical cell that’s supplied with a fuel and oxygen and uses energy from the reaction between them to produce electrical energy efficiently

• When the fuel enters the cell it becomes oxidised and sets up a potential difference within the cell

• There are a few different types of fuel cells, using the different fuels and different electrolytes

• One important example is the hydrogen-oxygen fuel cell

• This fuel cell combines hydrogen and oxygen to produce nice clean water and releases energy

Hydrogen-oxygen fuel cells involve a redo reaction

• The electrolyte is often a solution of potassium hydroxide
• The electrodes are often porous carbon with a catalyst
• Hydrogen goes into the anode compartment and oxygen gas into the cathode compartment
• At the -ve electrode, hydrogen loses electrons to produce H+ ions
    * This is oxidation
• H+ ions in the electrolyte move to the cathode
• At the +ve electrode, oxygen gains electrons from the cathode and reacts with H+ ions to make water
    * This is reduction

Hydrogen-oxygen fuel cells could be used in vehicles

• Conventional fuels for vehicles have a finite supply, they won’t last forever and they’re very polluting
• So vehicles that use electrical energy are becoming more and more popular
• Batteries are one way of getting cleaner energy but hydrogen-oxygen fuel cells might be even better