TY - JOUR
T1 - Advances in additive manufacturing of fuel cells
T2 - A review of technologies, materials, and challenges
AU - Singh, Rohit
AU - Pratap, Rana
AU - Narayanan, Jinoop Arackal
AU - Thangamani, Geethapriyan
AU - Krishnan, Venkatesan Venkata
AU - Arjunan, Arun
AU - Hughes, David
PY - 2025/2/24
Y1 - 2025/2/24
N2 - Fuel cells offer high-efficiency power production compared to internal combustion (IC) engines and gas/steam turbines. They are also very clean and come in several types, including PEM fuel cells, solid oxide fuel cells, direct methanol fuel cells, alkaline fuel cells, molten carbonate fuel cells, and phosphoric acid fuel cells. This diversity enables a broad market for decentralized power supply—both stationary and vehicular. In recent years, significant progress has been made in using additive manufacturing (AM) to fabricate fuel cell components such as electrolytes, electrodes, and casings. AM has revolutionised fuel cell fabrication by providing a sustainable process for producing parts with complex geometries, high material flexibility, and enhanced efficiency. This review aims to summarize the importance and current status of AM in fuel cell production. Various AM techniques (such as vat photopolymerization, material jetting, and powder bed fusion (PBF)) used in manufacturing different fuel cell components are discussed, along with recent advancements in materials and their corresponding properties. The review critically analyses the state of the art, highlighting the advantages and limitations of different techniques. Furthermore, this analysis extends to identifying suitable solutions to address challenges in fuel cell fabrication, providing valuable insights for researchers and engineers focused on clean energy production. This review article will benefit researchers interested in exploring the scope of AM in fuel cells.
AB - Fuel cells offer high-efficiency power production compared to internal combustion (IC) engines and gas/steam turbines. They are also very clean and come in several types, including PEM fuel cells, solid oxide fuel cells, direct methanol fuel cells, alkaline fuel cells, molten carbonate fuel cells, and phosphoric acid fuel cells. This diversity enables a broad market for decentralized power supply—both stationary and vehicular. In recent years, significant progress has been made in using additive manufacturing (AM) to fabricate fuel cell components such as electrolytes, electrodes, and casings. AM has revolutionised fuel cell fabrication by providing a sustainable process for producing parts with complex geometries, high material flexibility, and enhanced efficiency. This review aims to summarize the importance and current status of AM in fuel cell production. Various AM techniques (such as vat photopolymerization, material jetting, and powder bed fusion (PBF)) used in manufacturing different fuel cell components are discussed, along with recent advancements in materials and their corresponding properties. The review critically analyses the state of the art, highlighting the advantages and limitations of different techniques. Furthermore, this analysis extends to identifying suitable solutions to address challenges in fuel cell fabrication, providing valuable insights for researchers and engineers focused on clean energy production. This review article will benefit researchers interested in exploring the scope of AM in fuel cells.
UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.susmat.2025.e01317
U2 - 10.1016/j.susmat.2025.e01317
DO - 10.1016/j.susmat.2025.e01317
M3 - Review article
SN - 2214-9937
VL - 43
JO - Sustainable Materials and Technologies
JF - Sustainable Materials and Technologies
M1 - e01317
ER -