A new structure of a passive direct methanol fuel cell

Abstract In this article, a new structure of a passive, air-breathing, ambient temperature direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC), targeted towards low power applications, is proposed. The structure consists of a metal mesh directly welded onto the Polymer Electrolyte Membrane (PEM), which is then sprayed with the catalyst ink. The fuel cell operates successfully with a 2 mol L −1 methanol concentration and produces a power density of 1.52 mW cm −2 , which was reached at a current density of 9 mA cm −2 at a voltage of 0.169 V. This new structure demonstrates average performance with a simpler structure than conventional solutions, while showing potential in application to low-power application such as sensors.

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