Fuel cells for automobile application need to operate in a wide temperature range including freezing temperature. However, the rapid startup of a proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) at subfreezing temperature, e.g., -20 degrees C, is very difficult. A cold-start procedure was developed, which made hydrogen and oxygen react to heat the fuel cell considering that the FC flow channel was the characteristic of microchannel reactor. The effect of hydrogen and oxygen reaction on fuel cell performance at ambient temperature was also investigated. The electrochemical characterizations such as I-V plot and cyclic voltammetry (CV) were performed. The heat generated rate for either the single cell or the stack was calculated. The results showed that the heat generated rate was proportional to the gas flow rate when H-2 concentration and the active area were constant. The fuel cell temperature rose rapidly and steadily by controlling gas flow rate. (c) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.