Catalyst Layers for Anion Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells

5 Catalyst Layers for Anion Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells 

Using an anion exchange membrane instead of a liquid caustic alkali electrolyte in an alkaline fuel cell allows avoids problems of leakage, carbonation, precipitation of carbonate salts, and gas electrode flooding, increasing the volumetric energy density. It appears that the anion exchange membrane fuel cells (AEMFCs) have the potential to succeed in portable applieations [92,93]. 

Yu and Scott prepared membrane assembly electrodes (MEAs) with Pt loadings in both anode and cathode CLs of about 2 mg cm for a direct methanol alkaline fuel cell using an anion exchange membrane. They found that the cell performance increased dramatically with an MEA that did not include the GDL on the anode, because of lower reactant mass transfer resistance [94]. They also used platinized Ti mesh as the anode and current collector in the AEMFC. The cathode was a standard gas diffusion electrode with a Pt loading of approximately 2 mg cm , which consisted of a backing layer (carbon paper), a GDL and a CL. The novel anode showed higher catalytie aetivity than the conventional Pt/C electrode, and gave stable fuel cell performance [95]. 

Shen s group focused on flie studies of the Pt-free catalysts preparation and the effect of the CL structure on fuel eell performance. They developed oxide-promoted Pd catalysts prepared by a novel intermittent microwave heating technique [56, 96, 97]. All flie oxide-Pd catalysts on carbon showed higher catalytic activities than those of Pt/C or Pt-Ru/C catalysts. The Pd-NiO/C eatalyst 

---