Photochemical Etching for Fuel Cells

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Fuel cells produce clean and efficient electricity using the chemical energy of hydrogen or another fuel source for a variety of transportation and power applications. They operate similarly to batteries, but they do not run down or need charging and continue to produce electricity if fuel is supplied. Some of the benefits that fuel cells have over combustion-based technologies include:

Operate at higher efficiencies
Convert the chemical energy in the fuel to electrical energy with efficiencies up to 60%
Lower emissions
Emit only water with no carbon dioxide emission or air pollutants that create smog and/or cause health problems
Quiet operation
Fewer moving parts

Fotofab products are made in the USA and distributed worldwide.

Photochemical Etched Fuel Cell Components

Fuel cells are composed of several components including anodes, cathodes, fuel cell stacks, bipolar plates, and gaskets; all of which are created by different manufacturing techniques.

Fotofab produces fuel cell plates from your choice of standard or exotic sheet metal. Our photochemical etching process manufacturers burr- and stress-free plates with the internal intricacies needed for the overall fuel cell block, without adding to the cost as production quantities increase. We offer a standard lead time of 3-4 business days on etching and delivery depending on additional requested features.

With our value-added services, we are also capable of diffusion bonding the plates together to form the full fuel cell stack. Contact us today to see how we can help you turn hydrogen into electricity.

Typical Fuel Cell Applications

As energy efficient trends continue to rise, fuel cells are becoming popular in a variety of applications including:

Propulsion or auxiliary power for transportation in:
- Cars, Busses, and Trucks
- Trains
- Ships and Submarines
Backup power for stationary applications including:
- Power for remote locations
- Stand-alone power plants for towns and cities
- Distributed generation for buildings
- Co-generation (in which excess thermal energy from electricity generation is used for heat)
Portable power applications including:
- Handheld electronics such as cell phones and radios
- Material handling and larger equipment such as portable generators

Metals for Fuel Cells

There are a variety of materials used to manufacture the plates within a fuel stack. Metal materials are more robust, especially for automotive applications. Common metals used for fuel cell stacks include:

Fotofab Advantages

Fotofab provides a wide range of high-precision metal fabricating services to produce components with simple to very complex geometries. While our core competency has not changed over time, the technology of our production tools continues to evolve. We continue to seek opportunities for our customers to benefit from our unrivaled experience, while producing parts with state-of-the-art production methodologies and uncompromising quality standards.