Application of Microsystem Technologies in Advanced Aerospace Vehicle Power Systems

The Air Force has identified fuel cells as an "emerging technology of choice for power generation" because of their "supreme fuel efficiency, reduced air emissions and minimal fuel costs". The electrolyte is a critical component of a fuel cell, and no solid electrolyte has been identified that permits fuel cell operation in the intermediate temperature range 200-400°C (although this temperature range is of outstanding technological interest). Any fuel cell type operating in the intermediate temperature range would ameliorate many outstanding problems of the organic polymer exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells, while still avoiding problems of the high temperature fuel cell types such as solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC). This critical lack of a suitable electrolyte material for the intermediate temperature range has been recognized in the fuel cell community and denoted as a "gap". We propose a novel approach to bridge this "gap" and develop a fuel cell and the enabling electrolyte to be used in the intermediate temperature range.