Electrochemical contributions: Sir William Robert Grove (1811–1896)

Abstract

William Robert Grove was a British scientist, who developed a “gas voltaic battery” which was the forerunner of modern fuel cells. Thus, Grove is known as the “Father of the Fuel Cell”.

In his early study, Grove invented a novel electric cell (battery) named after him the Grove cell. This new kind of battery included zinc and platinum electrodes (operating as the anode and cathode, respectively) immersed in an acidic solution and separated with a porous ceramic membrane. This battery was demonstrated in 1839 at the Académie des Sciences meeting in Paris.

Later, in 1842, Grove invented the first fuel cell (named by him “gas voltaic battery”). This cell produced electrical energy by combining hydrogen and oxygen to water at separated electrodes in the process opposite to the water electrolysis. The first fuel cell prototype opened a new research and engineering area leading to modern fuel cells used in many practically important applications. It is interesting to note that the practical importance of fuel cells was not recognized at the beginning. Particularly, the Nobel Prize winner Wilhelm Ostwald described the Grove's gas battery in his famous book “Electrochemistry: History and Theory”, published in 1896, as “of no practical importance but quite significant for its theoretical interest.” The practical importance of the fuel cells was recognized later (Figure 1).

Acknowledging his scientific achievements Grove was knighted in 1872.

This article is part of a series featuring historic contributions in and around electrochemistry. At least one such article appears in every issue of Electrochemical Science Advances.

The author declares no conflict of interest.