Electrochemical Engineering-Driven Fuel Cell Design: From Fundamentals to Industrial Systems

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue, entitled “Electrochemical Engineering-Driven Fuel Cell Design: From Fundamentals to Industrial Systems”, is designed to emphasize current advancements in fuel cell technologies via electrochemical engineering, connecting fundamental research with scalable, practical applications. Fuel cells comprising PEMFCs, AEMFCs, SOFCs, and novel hybrid systems have experienced swift advancements in materials, catalysts, membranes, and system integration; yet, the conversion of these developments into reliable, economically viable technologies continues to pose a significant problem.

This Special Issue highlights an integrated, engineering-driven approach, contrasting with prior research that often addresses materials development, electrochemistry, and system engineering. It emphasizes multiscale design concepts, transport phenomena, electrode and membrane engineering, degradation causes, and performance optimization in actual operating conditions. The Special Issue also invites submissions on data-driven modeling, artificial intelligence, and digital technologies that enhance materials discovery and system optimization. This Special Issue seeks to integrate experimental, theoretical, and computational viewpoints, providing a thorough reference for academics and engineers focused on the practical implementation of next-generation fuel cell systems.

In this Special Issue, original research articles and reviews are welcome. Research areas may include (but are not limited to) the following:

1.Electrochemical engineering principles for fuel cell design and scale-up;
2. Advanced materials for AEMFC, PEMFC, SOFC, and alkaline fuel cells;
3. Catalyst development, including non-PGM and nanostructured electrocatalysts;
4. Anion and proton exchange membrane synthesis, modification, and durability;
5. AI- and machine learning-assisted fuel cell modeling and optimization;
6. Multiphysics modeling of transport, kinetics, and degradation in fuel cells;
7. Electrode and MEA fabrication strategies and manufacturing technologies;
8. Water, heat, and mass management in fuel cell systems;
9. Operando diagnostics and advanced characterization methods;
10. System integration, stack engineering, and balance-of-plant optimization;
11. Degradation mechanisms and lifetime prediction;
12. Techno-economic analysis and sustainability assessment of fuel cell technologies;
13. Digital twins and data-driven fuel cell performance forecasting.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Srikanth Ponnada
Dr. Anandhan Srinivasan
Guest Editors

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