Abstract:

 Fuel cells as a type of the electricity-generation devices that can directly convert chemical energy into electrical energy have emerged out in many application areas due to their advantages such as high efficiency, low pollution, low noise and so on. It was ranked to be one of the cutting edge technologies in twenty-first century by Time Magazine. In this paper, the related concepts and characteristics of fuel cells are over-reviewed in terms of science and technology. The history of fuel cells is recalled, and the latest development of fuel cells in both military and civilian applications are summarized. Finally, the challenges of fuel cells faced currently as well as the application prospectives are also discussed.

Key words:  fuel cell, history overview, current research