Recent Advances in Fuel Cell Technology and Its Application Process

Dear Colleagues,

Fuel-cell technologies are moving rapidly from laboratory prototypes to commercial products that underpin the emerging hydrogen economy and the global drive toward carbon neutrality. Breakthroughs in materials science, multi-scale modeling, manufacturing, and systems integration are extending the operating windows, lowering costs, and opening novel application routes for polymer–electrolyte, solid oxide, alkaline, direct ammonia, and other fuel cell variants. At the same time, the need for high-efficiency, low-emission power sources is intensifying across transportation, distributed generation, industrial heat, aviation, and maritime sectors.

This Special Issue of Processes aims to compile cutting-edge research and critical reviews that illuminate recent advances in fuel-cell science, engineering, and processing, as well as the practical pathways that translate these advances into robust devices and scalable energy solutions. We welcome contributions ranging from fundamental studies to system-level demonstrations, highlighting advances that enhance performance, durability, manufacturability, and cost-effectiveness.

Topics of interest include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Advanced materials for electrodes, electrolytes, interconnects, and seals (e.g., non-precious catalysts, high-entropy alloys/oxides, and ionomer blends).
• Novel cell and stack architectures, including thin-film, 3D-printing, micro-tubular, and flexible designs.
• Manufacturing and scale-up processes—laser processing, additive manufacturing, roll-to-roll fabrication, coating, and impregnation techniques.
• Multi-physics modeling, simulation, and digital twins for design optimization, control, and lifetime prediction.
• Degradation mechanisms and mitigation strategies, such as catalyst coarsening, poisoning, thermal/mechanical cycling, and redox stability.
• Operando and in situ diagnostics, advanced characterization, and data-driven approaches (machine learning, physics-informed AI).
• Balance-of-plant components and process integration: reformers, humidifiers, heat exchangers, and hybridization with batteries or renewable generators.
• System-level studies and techno-economic/life-cycle analyses for stationary, mobile, aviation, maritime, and off-grid applications.

Dr. Minda Zou
Dr. Zehua Pan
Dr. Xingyi Shi
Guest Editors

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