A CNT (carbon nanotube) paper as cathode gas diffusion electrode for water management of passive μ-DMFC (micro-direct methanol fuel cell) with highly concentrated methanol

Huichao Deng, Yufeng Zhang, Xue Zheng, Yang Li, Xuelin Zhang and Xiaowei Liu

Energy, 2015, vol. 82, issue C, 236-241

Abstract: A novel MEA (membrane electrode assembly) structure of passive μ-DMFC (micro-direct methanol fuel cell) controls water management and decreases methanol crossover. The CNT (carbon nanotube) paper replacing CP (carbon paper) as GDL (gas diffusion paper) enhances water back diffusion which passively prevents flooding in the cathode and promotes low methanol crossover. Moreover, the unique structure of CNT paper can also enhance efficiency of oxygen mass transport and catalyst utilization. The passive μ-DMFC with CNT-MEA exhibits significantly higher performance than passive μ-DMFC with CP-MEA and can operate in high methanol concentration, showing the peak power density of 23.2 mW cm−2. The energy efficiency and fuel utilization efficiency are obviously improved from 11.54% to 22.7% and 36.61%–49.34%, respectively, and the water transport coefficient is 0.47 which is lower than previously reported passive μ-DMFC with CP.

Keywords: Micro direct methanol fuel cell; Methanol crossover; Carbon nanotube; Water management (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2015
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (11)

Downloads: (external link)
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0360544215000584
Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:energy:v:82:y:2015:i:c:p:236-241

DOI: 10.1016/j.energy.2015.01.034

Access Statistics for this article

Energy is currently edited by Henrik Lund and Mark J. Kaiser

More articles in Energy from Elsevier
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Catherine Liu ().