185 Years Later: OCV Puzzle Finally Solved

Within the 7 years from Schoenbein’s discovery from 1838 to Grove’s patent-like presentation of 1845, fuel cells have evolved from innovation to realization without a convincing base of understanding. As science at that time was at an early stage of insight neither one of the two nor anyone else was able to correctly relate the fuel cell effect to the laws of nature. Many details of physics were identified and added to the science inventory later.