Fuel cells are devices that convert chemical energy from a fuel into electricity through an electrochemical reaction. The first fuel cells were developed in the 19th century, but they were not widely used until the mid-20th century. Fuel cells are used in a variety of applications, including powering vehicles, providing backup power for buildings, and generating electricity for portable electronic devices.
Some of the emerging trends in fuel cells include the use of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) and covalent organic frameworks (COFs) for gas storage and separation, the use of nanoporous materials for lithium ion batteries, and the use of porous organic polymers (POPs) for drug delivery.