Power & Fuel Initiative Hydrogen Fuel Cell Project

We are developing a hydrogen fuel cell for flight-testing drones, advancing zero-emission technology through interdisciplinary collaboration. Facing $5,000–$7,000 in equipment costs, campaign funds bridge the grant gap to build our proof of concept.

After a successful semester for the Power & Fuel Initiative (a chemical engineering-based student club at Purdue) with our pilot project, in which we focused on biodiesel production, we have begun our second project, developing a hydrogen fuel cell capable of powering a drone through student-led research. This second project will involve more disciplines such as aerospace, mechanical, and electrical engineering, which will be essential to ensuring the project runs successfully.

This semester we are mostly focused on developing a proof of concept for the fuel cell design, estimated to cost $5,000–$7,000. This will require us to develop an initial membrane electrode assembly (MEA), which in turn requires specialised equipment: a hot press machine and a homogeniser, both costing between $1,900 and $3,600 combined. These two pieces of equipment are essential to develop what we need this semester.

Students don't usually have an opportunity to participate in fully student-led research, but at PFI we aim to deliver an independent research and design opportunity. Through crowdfunding, we can extend our runway to 6–8 months for this project, allowing more students to have the experience we hope to deliver.