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Methanol Crossover (methanol + crossover)
Selected AbstractsOn mass transport in an air-breathing DMFC stackINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENERGY RESEARCH, Issue 12 2005G. Q. Lu Abstract An 8-cell air-breathing direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) stack with the active area of 5 cm2 of each cell has been developed. Stainless steel plates of 500 µm thickness with flow channels were fabricated using photochemical etching method as the current collectors. Different conditioning methods for membrane electrode assembly (MEA) activation were discussed. With proper control of water crossover to the cathode, cathode flooding was avoided in the DMFC stack. Methanol crossover at open circuit voltage (OCV) in the air-breathing DMFC was measured. Further, it was found that flow maldistribution might occur in the parallel flow field of the stack, making carbon dioxide gas management at the anode necessary. Using humidified hydrogen in the anode with a high flow rate, the oxygen transport limiting current density was characterized and found to be sufficient in the air-breathing cathode. The stack produced a maximum output power of 1.33 W at 2.21 V at room temperature, corresponding to a power density of 33.3 mW cm,2. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] The Effect of the Anode Loading and Method of MEA Fabrication on DMFC PerformanceFUEL CELLS, Issue 3 2007T. V. Reshetenko Abstract The influence of the Pt-Ru anode loading and MEA preparation techniques on direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) performance is studied. Two different anode catalyst layer preparation techniques are employed. One is the direct coating of anode catalyst ink on a membrane to form a catalyst coated membrane, CCManode, and the other is the coating of the ink on the diffusion layers, which generates a catalyst coated substrate, CCSanode. The power density of a combined CCManode/CCScathode MEA is higher than for a CCSanode/CCScathode MEA. The main difference in the performance is observed in the high current density region, where two-phase flow is present and mass transfer processes govern the performance. The CCManode and CCSanode have different macroscopic structures, while showing the same microscopic morphology. Based on their morphological differences, it is expected that the combination of the CCManode and carbon paper provides the more homogeneous removal of CO2 at high currents. The authors suggest that the application of the CCManode with an optimal anode loading improves anode mass transfer, reduces methanol crossover, and enhances the electrochemical reactions. [source] Comparison between Nafion® and a Nafion® Zirconium Phosphate Nano-Composite in Fuel Cell ApplicationsFUEL CELLS, Issue 3-4 2006F. Bauer Abstract A comparative investigation of the electrical, mechanical, and chemical behaviour of zirconium phosphate-Nafion® composite membranes and Nafion® by means of ex-situ measurements, as well as with fuel cell operation, reveals a slight reduction of ionic conductivity, a significant improvement of mechanical stability, and increased water retention for the composite materials. The overall efficiency at 130,°C is increased during direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) operation because the reduction in the ionic conductivity is overcompensated for by the decrease in methanol crossover. With H2 as the fuel, the slight reduction in overall efficiency corresponds to the decrease in ionic conductivity. The dimensional stability of the membrane and the membrane electrode assembly (MEA) is significantly improved for operating temperatures above 100,°C. A model for the microstructure-property relation for PFSA-Zr(HPO4)2,·,n,H2O composite membranes is presented, based on the experimental results from membranes with varying filler contents and distributions, obtained through different synthesis routes. It is aimed at the improvement of water distribution in the membrane upon fuel cell operation. [source] Modification of Nafion membrane using poly(4-vinyl pyridine) for direct methanol fuel cellPOLYMER INTERNATIONAL, Issue 5 2006Jeon Chan Woong Abstract Perfluorinated membrane such as Nafion (from Du-Pont) has been used as a polymer electrolyte membrane. Nafion 117 membrane, which was usually used as the electrolyte membrane for the polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC), was modified by using poly(4-vinyl pyridine) (P4VP) to reduce the methanol crossover, which cause fuel losses and lower power efficiency, by the formation of an ionic crosslink structure (sulfonic acid-pyridine complex) on the Nafion 117 surface. Nafion film was immersed in P4VP/N -methyl pyrrolidone (NMP) solution. P4VP weight percent of modified membrane was controlled by changing the concentration of P4VP/NMP solution and the dipping time. P4VP weight percent increased with increasing concentration of dipping solution and dipping time. The thickness of the P4VP layer increased with increasing concentration of dipping solution and dipping time when the concentration of the dipping solution was low. At high P4VP concentration, the thickness of the P4VP layer was almost constant owing to the formation of acid,base complex which interrupted the penetration of P4VP. FTIR results showed that P4VP could penetrate up to 30 µm of Nafion 117 membrane. Proton conductivity and methanol permeability of modified membrane were lower than those of Nafion 117. Both decreased with increasing concentration of dipping solution and dipping time. Methanol permeability was observed to be more dependent on the penetration depth of P4VP. Water uptake of the modified membrane, the important factor in a fuel cell, was lower than that of Nafion 117. Water uptake also decreased with increasing of P4VP weight. On the basis of this study, the thinner the P4VP layer on the Nafion 117 membrane, the higher was the proton conductivity. Methanol permeability decreased exponentially as a function of P4VP weight percent. Copyright © 2006 Society of Chemical Industry [source] Comparison of ethanol and methanol crossover through different MEA components and structures by cyclic voltammetryASIA-PACIFIC JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING, Issue 1 2009J. Ling Abstract The crossover rate of ethanol or methanol through membrane electrode assembly (MEA) and MEA components was studied quantitatively at 25 and 60 °C by cyclic voltammetry method. The results obtained in this work show that cyclic voltammetry is a powerful technique to assess the crossover phenomenon through MEA components and structures. In all cases, the ethanol crossover rates are lower than those of methanol. The ethanol and methanol crossover rates depend upon time and temperature. For an initial concentration of 1 M of ethanol or methanol, the crossover rate increases to a maximum after the first hour of the cell operation and then decreases gradually to a certain concentration after the third hour. At 60 °C, the maximum concentration of ethanol crossover rate is lower than that obtained at 25 °C. The crossover rate of ethanol or methanol through MEA is lower than through the components alone (pressed or nonpressed membranes or gas diffusion electrode). Copyright © 2008 Curtin University of Technology and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] | ||||||||||