Metal hydride fuel cell

Metal hydride fuel cells are a subclass of direct borohydride fuel cells, although the two differ in that MHFCs are refueled with pure hydrogen. Though the absorption characteristics of metal hydrides (around 2%) is far lower than sodium-borohydrides and other "light" metal hydrides (around 10,8%)[1], prototypes have been claimed to demonstrate a number of interesting characteristics:

• Ability to be recharged with electrical energy (similar to NiMH batteries);
• Low operating temperatures (down to -20°C);
• Fast kinetics;
• Extended shelf life;
• Fast "cold start" properties;
• Ability to operate for limited periods of time with no external hydrogen source, enabling "hot swapping" of fuel canisters.