What is a hydrogen fuel cell and how does it work?
A simple chemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen generates energy, which can be used to power a car, producing only water, not exhaust fumes. – President George Bush State of the Union Message January 28, 2003 A hydrogen fuel cell is based on a chemical reaction it directly converts chemical energy into electricity. It joins hydrogen and oxygen atoms together to produce electricity and water. Two electrodes are sandwiched around an electrolyte. Oxygen passes over one electrode and hydrogen over the other, generating electricity, water and heat. Hydrogen enters at the “anode” and oxygen (or air) enters at the cathode. When in contact with a catalyst, the hydrogen atom splits into a proton and an electron, which take different paths to the cathode. The proton passes through the electrolyte. The electrons create a separate current that can be utilized before they return to the cathode, to be reunited with the hydrogen and oxygen in a molecule of water. This process is outlined in th
