How do fuel cells work?

Have you ever heard of the name fuel cells?
Fuel cells are basically electrochemical conversion device which means that it generates electricity by a chemical reaction. They produce electricity at the electrodes placed in the electrolyte. The electrolyte carries electrically charged elements from one electrode to the other, and a catalyst,
which speeds up the reactions.

Fuel cells are completely different from the electrochemical cell batteries as the latter store the electrical energy chemically in a closed system. But the fuel cells consume the reactant which must be refilled. As compared to the electrochemical cell batteries the electrodes in the fuel cells are catalytic and stable.

Fuel cells find their most of the use as power sources in remote locations such as remote weather stations, space crafts, massive parks, countryside locations and in military applications.

Fuel cells use hydrogen to produce electricity and even provide solutions to have a clean country as they produce electricity with very little pollution. The reason behind is that fuel cells using hydrogen and oxygen as an oxidant produce natural byproduct, water.

How does it really work let us discuss it in detail:
The basic purpose of the fuel cell is to produce electricity and direct it to outside to start a motor or illuminate the bulb. And the chemical reactions are most important for the working of the cell.
What exactly happens is; that the hydrogen atoms enter the fuel at the positive electrode and gives off its electrons. Thus the hydrogen atoms get positively charged. The electrons which are negatively charged provide the current through the wires. The oxygen enters the fuel cell at the negative electrode and combines with the hydrogen ions and electrons to convert into water. Thus the electrolyte plays an important role in passing only the proper ions to pass between anode and cathode. If proper ions are not supplied it may lead to utter disturbance and trouble resulting in no electricity.
The only thing is that as soon as the fuel is supplied with hydrogen and oxygen, electricity will be produced. In a fuel cell, chemicals always flow into the cell so it never goes lifeless. The important thing is that it becomes very difficult to make inexpensive, consistent and proficient fuel cells.
As compared to other hydro electric power plants and nuclear plants, the fuel cells are very expensive and still not efficient and reliable.
Government, private institutes and academics and business are requiring them the most.
Fuel cells produce direct current voltage which can be used in number of things such as various transports, electronic devices such as laptops, mobile phones and even in banks and hospitals, wastewater treatment, landfills etc. Thus we see how we can generate electricity with the help of a fuel cell thus making our future technology more productive and excellent.