I-Corps: Thin Flexible Fuel Cell

The broader impact/commercial potential of this I-Corps project is the development of a high energy density power source, a hydrogen-fed thin flexible fuel cell (TFFC). The proposed technology may address the growing need for a higher performing, sustainable portable power source. Advanced portable systems continue to grow in power requirements and batteries are limiting their usability. For example, commercial drones use lithium-based batteries due to size and weight limits. These batteries provide a maximum flight time of 30 minutes, which disrupts workflow significantly. The TFFC may help to expand hydrogen fuel cell portable applications for clean, sustainable energy. In addition, the TFFC ultimately may contribute towards a shift towards lightweight hydrogen fuel cells in a wide array of verticals that require an energy-dense power source in a customizable form factor. This I-Corps project is based on the development of a new type of hydrogen fuel cell. The proposed technology, a thin flexible fuel cell (TFFC), uses an architecture that eliminates the heavy metallic parts (bipolar plates) used in conventional fuel cells, reducing weight, and significantly increasing energy density of the overall power system. The TFFC is a proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell that is uniquely suited to lightweight applications because all the structural and packaging components that are conventionally fabricated from metals have been replaced by lightweight polymers. The resulting structure possesses power density that far exceeds those of existing fuel cells. The structure is ultra-thin (~ 1 mm) and flexible so that it can be formed into arbitrary shapes. The form factor enables highly efficient passive cooling through area-proportional convective heat transfer, obviating the need for active cooling components such as liquid coolants, radiators, pumps, etc. The result is a simple, highly reliable, lightweight, compact, low-cost power source that may be integrated into an unmanned aerial vehicle airframe that can operate over a wide range of ambient temperatures and conditions. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.