ABSTRACT
In.principle,.fuel.cells.can.be.considered.as.batteries.that.convert.chemical.energy.to. electricity.without.combustion,.but.instead.through.electrochemical.reactions..The. difference.between. fuel. cells. and.conventional.batteries. is. that. fuel. cells. can. run. continuously.as.long.as.fuels.are.available.for.electrochemical.reactions,.whereas.a. battery.needs.to.be.recharged.periodically..The.concept.of.fuel.cells.was.conceived. by.Sir.William.Robert.Grove,.known.as.the.father.of.the.fuel.cell,.who.developed.a.
“gas.voltaic.battery”.in.1839,.later.named.the.Grove.cell.1.Accelerated.research.and. engineering.for.fuel.cell.development.started.in.the.1960s.due.to.the.unique.needs. for.the.long-endurance.manned.space.exploration.missions..For.space.applications,. in.addition.to.less.toxicity,.fuel.cells.have.the.advantage.over.traditional.batteries,.as. they.offer.significantly.higher.energy.density.(energy.per.equivalent.unit.of.weight). than.conventional.and.advanced.batteries.
