An introduction to fuel cells

BOOK

REVIEWS

Chenticd

243

Physics

Wiley,NewYork,

London

andsydney,

held by

Thesymposium maybe considered inWashingtoninMay

B_ E_ CONWAY

1966, xvii

the Electrochemical

+

_&ND

R_.G_

BARRXDAS.

622 pages, Eg_Ss_od.

in Toronto

Society

in May

1964

asthesuccessortotheearlier symposium ofthesamesocietyheld rg57as wellastothe Faraday Society'sGeneralDiscussion

I&e?-ncti0.T~i7b Xo?zi,-SoZutioxs Symposium symposium

by

of~onicSoZutions,ediPed

on Electrolytesin is narrower than

in

September

rg57

in Oxford,

Triestein 1959. In some those of the earlier ones

and

on

the IGtemational

senses the fieldofthe present but it gains by being better

focussed on the subject accurately described by the title. Many of the papers are of such dif%iculty that it is of great value to have them printed for close study. The editors discuss in their preface the justification for publishingthe proceedings of a symposium_

The

excellent choice of papers

togetherwiththepublication

of sufficient

discussion material, completely vindicates their argument. The resulting volume is outstanding among recent publications of this t>Te and like the Faraday Society Discussions should serve as a model for those contemplating a similar enterprise-

It is appropriately dedicatedtothememory so much of his \veU-known electrochetical

of F. E. W. WETMORE, who carried out research in Toronto; no better memorial

couldbedesired.

ROGER

PARSONS,

University

J_ ElectroannE.

AWL Introclzccfiorzto ELteZ Cells, edited by K. R. WILLIAMS, London and New York, 1966, xiv + 329 pages, Q_Ios_od_

account

C~mz.,

Elsevier,

of 14

Bristol

(1967)

243

Amsterdam,

Mr. %VILLIAAIS begins his preface by indicating the lack of a co-ordinated of the scientific basis of fuel cells and their current status. In this excellent

book

he and his colleagues

many

books

n-h

more

than

have one

filled this gap author,

with

this is titten

a well-balanced by

a team

which

text. has

Unlike beenin

existence over a period of nearly ten years. Hence it reads consistently with none of theabruptchanges oflevelor viewpointusuallyassociatedwithsuchworks. It.is also very clearly written. The kinetics of electrode reactions are inadequately tieated in all but the most recent electrochemical textbooks, but the introductory treatment here might be read with profit by any student beginningthis branch of electrochemistry_Thefactthatthetreatmentoffnndamentals occupiesonly pages couldmean that it was superficial, but on the contrary the essential pc&ts are clearly brought out,notsmotheredinamassofdetail. Therestofthebookdealstith proposed types offuelcells,.theirprobler& and advantages_ Theauthors havetheirfeetplanted f&mly&the-ground andemphasize the practical difficulties confronting the comme~ciaZ.@xploit&io&~of tie1 celL%~f~ziny type. Nevertheless in a succinct final chapter-:sunnn grizing the &zsent~ p&it&, they rer&nd us that progress in this~fieldis greater.than*those’ofoth&r-9~. Eiicr@_ converters. Thebook is well-produced and has~u&d 'in~c~I_-'Only.oneseiious eprint~ was noted: on page 81 inequation-17; %helastte& &%a & c&itted_?I%&-reference-to this &quationon~thefoll~wing~pageis_ricorr@ct. RoGER~~PAI~SONS,

Utitiersity:pf~Brist~l