Proton Exchange Fuel Cell Materials and R&D Needs for Future Market Success

I very much appreciate the privilege to write a preface for this special issue of Electrochemistry on the development of materials and evaluation methods for PEFCs (proton exchange fuel cells). During my past years at General Motors' Fuel Cell Activities program, I was able to witness the extraordinary world-wide advances in PEFC R&D, resulting in H2/air PEFC stacks which now closely meet the demanding performance requirements for vehicle applications: power densities near 1 W/cm 2 at --0.6 V, and much reduced MEA (membrane electrode assembly) platinum loadings to --0.4 mgPt/cm 2 MEA. These accomplishments were largely driven by the implementation of thin membranes (--25 m), highly conductive bipolar plate materials/coatings, and empirical improvements in electrode design. While this clearly demonstrates the viability of automotive PEFC applications, their future success in the market place requires further advances in materials performance and durability.