Electrochemically actuated valve

An electrochemically operable actuator (101), comprising

• a support structure (10);
• a flexible membrane (12) sealed against said support structure to form a compartment;
• electrochemical means adapted to generate hydrogen or oxygen gas and to deliver the gas to the inside of said compartment;
• the electrochemical means comprising an ion conducting membrane having an electrode on opposing sides thereof, and terminal means for connecting a voltage source to enable applying a potential across the electrodes.

A fuel cell assembly comprising a plurality of in-plane polymer electrolyte fuel cells electrically coupled in series, wherein the assembly is built up from a plurality of layers of materials, and having a valve mechanism embedded in at least one of the layers making up the assembly, the valve mechanism comprising a support structure formed by a plurality of layers of materials and an electrochemically operable actuator (101), the actuator comprising

• a support structure (10);
• a flexible membrane (12) sealed against said support structure to form a compartment;
• electrochemical means adapted to generate hydrogen or oxygen gas and to deliver the gas to the inside of said compartment, via a channel connecting the electrochemical means and the compartment, so as to cause the flexible membrane to bulge if/when hydrogen or oxygen is generated by the electrochemical means;
• the electrochemical means comprising an ion conducting membrane having an electrode on opposing sides thereof, and terminal means for connecting a voltage source to enable applying a potential across the electrodes.