Hydrogen technology - Let’s build a fuel cell!

We need only two carbon papers with the catalyst, a proton exchange membrane between them, and the gaskets around them. These all should be clamped between two plates, which have gas channels on their surface, and additionally, conduct electricity too. Let’s put two current collectors to the sides of this assembly to be able to use the produced current. These all should be kept together with two thick aluminium plate, some screws tightened by a torque wrench, and then it’s ready!

…Yes, a fuel cell really contains these parts and really that is the way to compose it, but this is not so simple! Lot of questions arise about the process and about the cell itself. What is the working theory of the fuel cell? Reversed water electrolysis – what is it good for? How does a fuel cell look like in the reality? What is the role of the different parts? How the fuel cell’s parts fit to each other, what is their structural material and why? What is the catalyst? What is the membrane electrode assembly and why is it the most important part of the fuel cell? How a fuel cell can be connected to the measuring apparatus? What can be measured on a fuel cell, and what can be concluded from the results? How does it look like, if fuel cells are built into stack?

All these questions could be answered in our labor presentation, which let visitors to get insight into the process of the research itself: from catalyst preparation to fuel cell measurements. Presentation will be available in Hungarian, and in English. We welcome everyone who is interested in fuel cells.