PEM FUEL-CELLS FOR TRANSPORTATION AND STATIONARY POWER-GENERATION APPLICATIONS

We describe recent activities at Los Alamos National Laboratory devote d to polymer electrolyte fuel cells in the contexts of stationary powe r generation and transportation applications. A low cost/high performa nce hydrogen or reformate/air stack technology is being developed base d on ultra-low platinum loadings and non-machined, inexpensive element s for flow-fields and bipolar plates. On-board methanol reforming is c ompared to the option of direct methanol fuel cells in light of recent significant power density increases demonstrated in the latter. (C) 1 997 International Association for Hydrogen Energy.