On November 22, 2024, the Open Fuel Cell (OFC) joined the fun this year. Physics Night at the University of Duisburg-Essen (check it out here: Physics Night). The event was about giving the public a glimpse into the fascinating world of physics—and maybe convincing a few future physicists to join!
The night had something for everyone: a look at what it's like to study physics at UDE, details on how planets form, and even speculation about whether Mars could make a cozy new home (spoiler: it's debatable). And, of course, there was a lot of hands-on testing!
Another highlight was the “brush race”—a tiny, zippered assembly that might just change the way we think about self-cleaning technology (or at least give Roomba a run for its money). It was exciting, exhausting, and so much fun! Fortunately, the Open Fuel Cell was there to provide the power—literally and figuratively—to keep everyone's curiosity buzzing.
A Little History Lesson on OFC
Our setup didn't just showcase today's fuel cell technology—it also included three generations of OFC designs, like a mini family reunion.
- I grandfather: A lumpy, unusable beast carved out of large plastic plates. It wasn't exactly possible, but you have to start somewhere!
- I a workhorse every day: A single cell OFC, now mostly 3D printed, and often shown as an “exploded model” with its different parts to explain how it all works.
- I new kid on the block: A sandwich stack with two cells. Basically two fuel cells printed back to back, sharing a common anode plate. Very modern, very cool.
Build Your Own Fuel Cell Model
The exploded model is great for learning how a fuel cell works, and it's super easy to make at home—our 3D printable files are available for download on the website. It's not just a fun project; it's a great way to get up close and personal with fuel cell science.