A Comprehensive Review on Fuel Cells: From Fundamental Principles to PEM Fuel Cell Membranes

Turan Alp Arslan; Hüseyin Bayrakçeken

doi:10.64808/engineeringperspective.1791743

A Comprehensive Review on Fuel Cells: From Fundamental Principles to PEM Fuel Cell Membranes

Abstract

Fuel cells have a wide range of potential applications in various fields such as stationary power generation, transportation, and portable electronic devices, thanks to their high energy conversion efficiencies, environmentally friendly structures, and simple design features. This study takes a comprehensive approach to fuel cell technologies, starting with the fundamental operating principles and historical development process of fuel cells. Different systems, such as alkaline fuel cells (AFC), phosphoric acid fuel cells (PAFC), solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC), molten carbonate fuel cells (MCFC), proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFC), and direct methanol fuel cells (DMFC), are examined and compared in detail in terms of their operating principles, advantages, limitations, and application areas. Furthermore, the theoretical performance limits of fuel cells and the losses observed in the systems are analyzed, and improvement strategies to reduce these losses are dis-cussed. Special emphasis is placed on PEMFC technology due to its high potential in automotive and portable energy sys-tems. In this context, the structural components of PEMFCs, types of proton exchange membranes, and the main character-istics expected from these membranes are comprehensively addressed. To better understand proton transfer processes, pro-ton transfer mechanisms such as Grotthuss, vehicle, and surface mechanisms are also explained in detail. In conclusion, this review aims to establish a conceptual bridge between the fundamental principles of fuel cell technologies and the current challenges and advances in PEMFC membrane development research.

Keywords

Supporting Institution

Afyon Kocatepe University Projects of Scientific Investigation Unit (BAP)

Project Number

24.FEN.BIL.12

Ethical Statement

This article is based on previously published literature and does not include any studies involving human participants or animals conducted by the authors. Therefore, ethical approval and informed consent were not required.

Thanks

This study was supported by Afyon Kocatepe University Projects of Scientific Investigation Unit (BAP) with project number 24.FEN.BIL.12. The authors thank to Afyon Kocatepe (BAP) for this work.

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Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Hybrid and Electric Vehicles and Powertrains, Automotive Engineering Materials

Journal Section

Review Article

Authors

Turan Alp Arslan ^*
0000-0003-3259-4854
Türkiye

Hüseyin Bayrakçeken
Türkiye

Early Pub Date

December 16, 2025

Publication Date

December 30, 2025

Submission Date

September 26, 2025

Acceptance Date

November 21, 2025

Published in Issue

Year 2025 Volume: 5 Number: 4

DOI

https://doi.org/10.64808/engineeringperspective.1791743

IZ

https://izlik.org/JA88FT32NW

Cite

RIS / Bibtex

APA

Arslan, T. A., & Bayrakçeken, H. (2025). A Comprehensive Review on Fuel Cells: From Fundamental Principles to PEM Fuel Cell Membranes. Engineering Perspective, 5(4), 194-222. https://doi.org/10.64808/engineeringperspective.1791743

AMA

1.Arslan TA, Bayrakçeken H. A Comprehensive Review on Fuel Cells: From Fundamental Principles to PEM Fuel Cell Membranes. engineeringperspective. 2025;5(4):194-222. doi:10.64808/engineeringperspective.1791743

Chicago

Arslan, Turan Alp, and Hüseyin Bayrakçeken. 2025. “A Comprehensive Review on Fuel Cells: From Fundamental Principles to PEM Fuel Cell Membranes”. Engineering Perspective 5 (4): 194-222. https://doi.org/10.64808/engineeringperspective.1791743.

EndNote

Arslan TA, Bayrakçeken H (December 1, 2025) A Comprehensive Review on Fuel Cells: From Fundamental Principles to PEM Fuel Cell Membranes. Engineering Perspective 5 4 194–222.

IEEE

[1]T. A. Arslan and H. Bayrakçeken, “A Comprehensive Review on Fuel Cells: From Fundamental Principles to PEM Fuel Cell Membranes”, engineeringperspective, vol. 5, no. 4, pp. 194–222, Dec. 2025, doi: 10.64808/engineeringperspective.1791743.

ISNAD

Arslan, Turan Alp - Bayrakçeken, Hüseyin. “A Comprehensive Review on Fuel Cells: From Fundamental Principles to PEM Fuel Cell Membranes”. Engineering Perspective 5/4 (December 1, 2025): 194-222. https://doi.org/10.64808/engineeringperspective.1791743.

JAMA

1.Arslan TA, Bayrakçeken H. A Comprehensive Review on Fuel Cells: From Fundamental Principles to PEM Fuel Cell Membranes. engineeringperspective. 2025;5:194–222.

MLA

Arslan, Turan Alp, and Hüseyin Bayrakçeken. “A Comprehensive Review on Fuel Cells: From Fundamental Principles to PEM Fuel Cell Membranes”. Engineering Perspective, vol. 5, no. 4, Dec. 2025, pp. 194-22, doi:10.64808/engineeringperspective.1791743.

Vancouver

1.Turan Alp Arslan, Hüseyin Bayrakçeken. A Comprehensive Review on Fuel Cells: From Fundamental Principles to PEM Fuel Cell Membranes. engineeringperspective. 2025 Dec. 1;5(4):194-222. doi:10.64808/engineeringperspective.1791743