BOOK REVIEWS Although Volume I contains several papers of general interest t o chemists, it sould seem that on the whale these two volumes are directed toward those with special interests. E. W. A B R A H U ~ O N Case Institute of Technology Cleveland. Ohio Fuel Cells Edited hy Will Milehell, JI., AllisChdmem Manufacturing Co., Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Academic P1e88, Inc., New Yark, 1963. xv 442 pp. Figs. and tables. 16 X 23.5 cm. $15.
+
The publication of this volume, the first of a series of monographs a n chemical technology, attests to the faot that fuel cell technology has advitnoed rtnd matured in recent years. Not only do we have here an excellent review of current developments but also a more critical evaluation of several fuel cell systems than has hitherto been available. The volume consists of ten chapters written by authorities active in fuel cell research, development, and engineering. The following four fuel cell system, the development of which were pioneered by the authors, can be grouped together: The High Pressure Hydrogen-Oxygen Cell by A. M. Adams, F. T. Bacon, and R. G. H. Watson in Chapter 4; Ian Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells by L. W. Niedrach and W. T. Oruhh in Chapter 6; The Sodium Amalgam-Oxygen Continuous Feed Cell by Ernest Yeager in Chapter 7; and Low Temperature Hydrogen-oxygen Fuel Cells by K. V. Kordeseh in Chapter 8. Each is a review of the system to its present state of development, containing descriptions of methods of preparation of electrodes, application af catalysts, and details of fuel cell and battery designs. A wealth of experimental data including performance data on single cells rtnd batteries are presented in a large number of figures and tables. The advantages and disadvantages of each systemareenumerated and m n y practical and economic ameets are diacm~ed. A ment and engineering stages are pointed out. I n Chapter 5, High Temperature Fuel Cells by E. Gorin and H. L. Recht, a review of alkali carbonate cells to 1960 is presented. Since this time much progress on the alkali carbonate as well as the d i d oxide electrolyte fuel cell aystems has been made, but as yet a self-mstaining high temperature fuel cell bat,tery has not been reported on. I n Chapter 9, Carbonaceous Fuels by C. W. Foust and W. J. Sweenev. fuel cell economics are discussed a i d much interesting fuel cell cost estimates and comparisons with sctusl costs of different nvailhle power systems are made. In Chapter 10, Research Techniques for Fuel Cell Applications by Richard A. (Continued on page A4dJ5) Vol. 4 1, No. 5, May 1964
/
A403
BOOK REVIEWS Wynveen, a further wealth of information on the construction and testing of laboratory scale fuel cells are presented. Chapter 2, Thermodynamics of Electrochemical Fuel Cells by M. Eisenberg, is a. review of thermodynamic principles, while Chapter 3, Kinetics and Cat,alysis by C. E. Heath and W. J. Sweeney, contains a brief discussion of electrode kinetic8 with numerous examples from the literature. The difficulties encountered with porous fuel cell electrodes in analyzing the types of polarization and the elucidation of mechanisms are outlined. There is much activity in this field not included in this review. The section of this chapter on catalysis applied to fuel cells gives an excellent critical survey of the field. A brief introduction by the editor, who deserves much credit in compiling thi. volume, is presented in Chapter 1. In the opinion of this reviewer, more attenbion to rigor and clarity of present%tion should have been paid to several of the sections on electrochemical thermodynamics and liinetics for many errors have crept in. As is inevitable in s. compilation of this kind, there is much revetition and overlap of suhject matter. 1n addition to the extensive bibliographies following each chapt,er, there is a very useful author and subject index at the end of the volume. This hook is a welcome addition to the literature of fuel cell technology and is recommended for those ahout to initiate s. research program as well as those experipnced in the fuel cell art. JosEpn W E ~ S B A R T Lockheed Research Laboratorg Palo Alto, Cal
