Direct methanol fuel cells: recent progress in fuel efficiency, cell performance and performance stability

摘要

Research presented in this paper focuses on several factors affecting the performance of direct-methanol fuel cells (DMFCs), under development for either transportation or portable power applications. In particular, we discuss (i) variations in electrocatalytic activity of a variety of Pt-Ru anode catalysts, (ii) long-term stability of the anode, and (iii) crossover of methanol. We report on recent accomplishments in cell performance, fuel utilization (overall conversion efficiency), and lowering Pt loading in DMFCs designed for the potential use in automotive transportation.