Ceramic fuel cells: A century of research

Ceramic fuel cells, although operating at high temperature, offer low materials cost and high energy efficiency. The components of the fuel cell stack include metals, ceramics and glasses. The discovery of the lanthanum gallate electrolyte offers a new playing field in fuel cell development. However, concerns about its volatility and stability need to be resolved by thorough characterization and long-term testing. In any case, the durability of electrochemical devices and the present climate of environmental concern and energy consciousness bode well for the acceptance of fuel cells as the workhorse of the next century.