Performance Optimization of ? DMFC with Foamed Stainless Steel Cathode Current Collector

Zhengang Zhao, Fan Zhang, Yanhui Zhang and Dacheng Zhang
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Zhengang Zhao: Faculty of Information Engineering and Automation, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650500, China
Fan Zhang: Faculty of Information Engineering and Automation, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650500, China
Yanhui Zhang: Faculty of Information Engineering and Automation, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650500, China
Dacheng Zhang: Faculty of Information Engineering and Automation, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650500, China

Energies, 2021, vol. 14, issue 20, 1-13

Abstract: The micro direct methanol fuel cell ( ? DMFC) has attracted more and more attention in the field of new energy due to its simple structure, easy operation, and eco-friendly byproducts. In a ? DMFC’s structure, the current collector plays an essential role in collecting the conduction current, and the rational distribution of gas and water. The choice of its material and flow fields would significantly impact the ? DMFC’s performance. To this end, four different types of cathode current collector were prepared in this study. The materials selected were stainless steel (SS) and foam stainless steel (FSS), with the flow fields of hole-type and grid-type. The performance of the ? DMFC with different types of cathode current collector was investigated by using polarization curves, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), and discharging. The experimental results show that the maximum power density of ? DMFC of the hole-type FSS cathode current collector is 49.53 mW/cm 2 at 70 °C in the methanol solution of 1 mol/L, which is 115.72% higher than that of the SS collector. The maximum power density of the ? DMFC with the grid-type FSS collector is 22.60 mW/cm 2 , which is 27.39% higher than that of the SS collector. The total impedance of the ? DMFC of the FSS collector is significantly lower than that of the ? DMFC of the SS collector, and the total impedance of the ? DMFC with the hole-type flow field collector is lower than that of the grid-type flow field. The discharging of ? DMFC with the hole-type FSS collector reaches its optimal value at 70 °C in the methanol solution of 1 mol/L.

Keywords: ?DMFC; foam stainless steel; cathodes; current collector; flow fields (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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