Direct methanol fuel cells membrane electrode assembly

Sanicharane S, Bo A, Sompalli B, Gurau B, Smotkin ES. 2002. In-situ 50 °C ETIR spectroscopy of Pt and PtRu direct methanol fuel cell membrane electrode assembly anodes. J Electrochem Soc 149 A554-A557. 

A key element of the automotive fuel cell membrane electrode assembly is the proton exchange membrane (PEM), also referred to as the polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM), which is composed of a thermoplastic elastomer coated with a platinum catalyst. U.S. car-makers expect to have fuel cell-powered cars on the market by 2004. Polymer selection depends on, among other criteria, fuel selection such as Direct Methanol Fuel Cell (DMFC) or Direct Hydrogen Fuel Cell (DHFC). One prototype fuel cell vehicle is the product of the Partnership for a New Generation of Vehicles (PNGV), comprising U.S. automotive companies and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). ... 

R. X. Liu, and E. S. Smotkin, Array membrane electrode assemblies for high throughput screening of direct methanol fuel cell anode catalysts, J. Electroanal. Chem. 535, 49-55 (2002). 

H. Kim, J. Oh, J. Kim, and H. Ghang. Membrane electrode assembly for passive direct methanol fuel cells. Journal of Power Sources 162 (2006) 497-501. 

Figure 3.54. Direct methanol fuel cell designed for passive operation (no forced flows), with two membrane-electrode assemblies MEA) and a central fuel container.

R. Liu and E. Smotkin, Array Membrane Electrode Assemblies for High Throughput Screening of Direct Methanol Fuel Cell Anode Catalysts, J. Electroanal. Chem., 535, 49 (2002). 

In this chapter, we discuss more deeply two aspects of a numerical model for direct methanol fuel cells published in [1]. This model describes in detail the processes in the membrane electrode assembly (MEA) of a direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC). We assume that the MEA consists of the following parts ... 

The peripheral equipment needed for direct methanol fuel cells is largely analogous to that of polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells. The mechanical basis of fuel cells and stacks on the whole consists of bipolar plates between which the sandwiched membrane-electrode assemblies are arranged. For the venting of heat, cooling plates with a circulating heat transfer agent are set up in a particular order between individual fuel cells in the stack. 

Krewer U, Park JY, Lee JH, Cho H, Pak C, You DJ, Lee YH (2009) Low and high temperature storage characteristics of membrane electrode assemblies for direct methanol fuel cells. J Power Sources 187 103-111... 

Bunazawa H, Yamazaki Y (2008) Influence of anion ionomer content and silver cathode catalyst on the performance of alkaline membrane electrode assemblies (MEAs) for direct methanol fuel cells (DMFCs). J Power Sources 182(1) 48-51... 

Bae, S.J., Kim, S.-J., Park, J.I., Lee, J.-H., Cho, H., and Park, J.-Y. (2010) Lifetime prediction through accelerated degradation testing of membrane electrode assemblies in direct methanol fuel cells. Int.J. Hydrogen Energy, 35, 9166-9176. Shao, M. (2011) Palladium-based electrocatalysts for hydrogen oxidation and oxygen reduction reactions. J. Power Sources, 196, 2433-2444. 

Figure 21.12. Polarization curves for oxygen cathode ( , ) and methanol anode (O, ) at 75 °C in half-cells with 3 M and 1.5 M H2SO4 as electrolytes, respectively. The data corrected for the ohmic potential drop ( , ) are also shown. Cathode 1.16 mg Pt/cm, anode 1.4 mg PtRu/cm [61]. (Reprinted from Journal of Power Sources, 128, Reeve RW, Burstein GT, Williams KR. Characteristics of a direct methanol fuel cell based on a novel electrode assembly using microporous polymer membranes, 1-12, 2004, with permission from Elsevier.)...

Reeve RW, Burstein GT, Williams KR. Characteristics of a direct methanol fuel cell based on a novel electrode assembly using microporous polymer membranes. J Power Sources 2004 128 1-12. 

Bae Suk-Joo, Kim Seong-Joon, Park Jong, 2010. In Lifetime prediction through accelerated degradation testing of membrane electrode assemblies in direct methanol fuel cells. International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, 35(7) 9166-9176. 

Liang, Z.X., Zhao, T.S. and Prabhuram, J. (2006) A glue method for fabricating membrane electrode assemblies for direct methanol fuel cells. Electrochim. Acta 51,6412-6418. 

A modem FC used in transportation and other applications is shown in Fig. 2. Its key elements are the electrodes, the catalyst, and the proton exchange membrane (PEM) the cell is fueled by hydrogen or methanol at the anode and oxygen or air at the cathode. The membrane electrode assembly (MEA) that is the heart of ECs includes the proton exchange membrane, a polymer modified to include ions, typically sulfonic groups an ionomer In the presence of water, ionomers self-assem-ble into microphase separated domains that allow the movement of in one direction only, from the anode to the cathode. The membrane performance was first demonstrated by Nafion, the ionomer made by DuPont, which consists of a perflu-orinated backbone and pendant chains terminated by sulfonic groups, -SOs . Nafion was the major component in the PEMEC developed by General Electric for... 

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