Durability is the most pressing issue preventing the efficient commercialization of polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) stationary and transportation applications. A big barrier to overcoming the durability limitations is gaining a better understanding of failure modes for user profiles. In addition, durability test protocols for determining the lifetime of PEMFCs are important factors in the development of the technology. These methods are designed to gather enough data about the cell/stack to understand its efficiency and durability without causing it to fail. They also provide some indication of the cell/stack’s age in terms of changes in performance over time. Based on a study of the literature, the fundamental factors influencing PEMFC long-term durability and the durability test protocols for both PEMFC stationary and transportation applications were discussed and outlined in depth in this review. This brief analysis should provide engineers and researchers with a fast overview as well as a useful toolbox for investigating PEMFC durability issues.

Proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) are an alternative power source for automobiles that are capable of being cleaner and emission-free. As of yet, long-term durability is a core issue to be resolved for the mass production of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles that requires varied research in the range from sustainable materials to the optimal operating strategy. The capacity to accurately estimate performance degradation is critical for developing reliable and durable PEMFCs. This review investigates various PEMFC performance degradation modeling techniques, such as model-based, data-driven, and hybrid models. The pros and cons of each approach are explored, as well as the challenges in adequately predicting performance degradation. Physics-based models are capable of simulating the physical and electrochemical processes which occur in fuel cell components. However, these models tend to be computationally demanding and can vary in terms of parameters between different studies. On the other hand, data-driven models provide rapid and accurate predictions based on historical data, but they may struggle to generalize effectively to new operating conditions or scenarios. Hybrid prediction approaches combine the strengths of both types of models, offering improved accuracy but also introducing increased computational complexity to the calculations. The review closes with recommendations for future research in this area, highlighting the need for more extensive and accurate prediction models to increase the reliability and durability of PEMFCs for fuel cell electric vehicles.

Solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) are among the most promising electrochemical technologies for high-efficiency, low-emission power generation. This review provides a comprehensive overview of recent advances in SOFC materials, system architectures, and commercialization pathways, with emphasis on intermediate-temperature operation to enhance durability and reduce costs. Developments in electrolyte materials are analyzed alongside progress in anode and cathode advances in materials. At the system level, the manuscript compares electrolyte-supported and anode-supported configurations, examines sealing technologies and thermal cycling durability in planar stacks, and discusses fuel preparation strategies with emphasis on sulfur removal from hydrocarbon fuels. The integration of direct internal reforming (DIR) SOFC systems and the role of anode gas recycle in improving efficiency and thermal management are also addressed. The high-temperature exhaust from SOFCs supports cogeneration and trigeneration applications, enabling additional power or heating/cooling through thermodynamic cycles such as Rankine and Brayton, thereby enhancing overall system efficiency. Finally, the review examines the status of commercial SOFC deployment, presenting case studies of leading industrial players such as Bloom Energy (USA), Ceres Power (UK), and SolydEra (Italy). The paper concludes with an assessment of the key challenges and perspectives for SOFC commercialization in stationary power generation, including cost reduction, stack lifetime extension, large-scale manufacturing, and system integration strategies required to achieve widespread market adoption.

In this paper, a new voltage aging model for the polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC), which includes multiple degradation mechanisms for proton exchange membrane fuel cells, is proposed. The model parameters are identified using a curve-fitting procedure based on long-term experimental data for the modular stack under the New European Driving Cycle (NEDC). A good fit was found between the model and experimental data, with R-squared values greater than 0.99 for all simulation cases. Moreover, according to the model sensitivity analysis, the voltage degradation model is most sensitive to load current, followed by time. The effect of operating temperature on performance, voltage degradation, and lifetime is investigated. After 300 h, significant performance loss was detected. When the temperature is raised to 75 °C, voltage degradation becomes worse. Based on the simulated voltage degradation profiles at 55 °C and 75 °C, PEMFCs have reached the end of their useful lives at 1100 h and 600 h, respectively. The simulation model indicates that the model is capable of forecasting how long the fuel cell will last under specified operational conditions and drive cycles.