在工業快速發展的趨勢下,兼具環境保護的能源工程將是新世紀人類文明的重要課題。發展低污染、高效能的新能源開發已為全球各國一致追求的目標。在諸多新能源中,燃料電池將為未來最具潛力的動力來源。與內燃機不同的是燃料電池在發電過程中並不涉及燃燒,為一單純化學能轉換為電能之反應;且燃料電池雖稱之為“電池",但並非一蓄電元件而為一發電機組。其發電效率較傳統發電方式為高,具有低污染排放、低噪音、體積小、模組性高、製造時間短及空間限制少等優點。我國因高度倚重IT產業也將直接受到這一發展之衝擊。適合於IT元件應用的燃料電池為可攜式的微型電池(mW級)包括:質子交換膜燃料電池(PEM Fuel cell)及直接甲醇燃料電池(Direct Methanol Fuel Cell)兩種主要型態。本回顧報告擬針對IT產業電源供應之需求急速成長的可攜式燃料電池關鍵元件─高分子半透膜於近年內國際間之研究進展作一整理並評估不同設計的理念特色和優缺點。以便利國內學者在這一方面之研究。
Small size fuel cell for portable electronic devices shows potential impacts on IT industry developments, globally. This development is especially critical to domestic IT industry, since the domestic industry is heavily structured on IT. As proton exchange membrane is the most critical component of fuel cell devices, current review summarized and compared several new design concepts and progress of novel polymer electrolytes for fuel cell developments. It is hope that this review can benefit the progress of domestic fuel cell research.