Micro Fuel Cell: Rapid Prototyping Laboratory at Stanford University

Rapid Prototyping Laboratory at Stanford University

The Rapid Prototyping Laboratory is investigating the benefit of applying thin-film microfabrication technology for the production of micro fuel cells.

A fuel cell is a device that converts chemical energy directly into electrical current. Fundamentally it consists of two electrodes separated by a proton exchange medium. In one simple example, hydrogen molecules are split into protons and electrons by a catalytic reaction at one electrode. The protons diffuse through a polymer membrane to the opposite electrode, where they recombine with electrons and oxygen to form water. Meanwhile, the electrons, which are inhibited by the membrane, travel through an external circuit to produce electric current.