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. 2017 Jun 30;3(6):e1700580.
doi: 10.1126/sciadv.1700580. eCollection 2017 Jun.

A selective electrocatalyst-based direct methanol fuel cell operated at high concentrations of methanol

Yan Feng  1   2 , Hui Liu  1   3 , Jun Yang  1   2   3
Affiliations

A selective electrocatalyst-based direct methanol fuel cell operated at high concentrations of methanol

Yan Feng et al. Sci Adv. .

Abstract

Owing to the serious crossover of methanol from the anode to the cathode through the polymer electrolyte membrane, direct methanol fuel cells (DMFCs) usually use dilute methanol solutions as fuel. However, the use of high-concentration methanol is highly demanded to improve the energy density of a DMFC system. Instead of the conventional strategies (for example, improving the fuel-feed system, membrane development, modification of electrode, and water management), we demonstrate the use of selective electrocatalysts to run a DMFC at high concentrations of methanol. In particular, at an operating temperature of 80°C, the as-fabricated DMFC with core-shell-shell Au@Ag2S@Pt nanocomposites at the anode and core-shell Au@Pd nanoparticles at the cathode produces a maximum power density of 89.7 mW cm-2 at a methanol feed concentration of 10 M and maintains good performance at a methanol concentration of up to 15 M. The high selectivity of the electrocatalysts achieved through structural construction accounts for the successful operation of the DMFC at high concentrations of methanol.

Keywords: Direct methanol fuel cell; Electrocatalyst; High-concentration methanol; Nanocomposite; nanoparticle.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1. DMFC assemblies.
Schematic showing the DMFC fabricated with selective electrocatalysts at the anode and cathode chamber. Inset: Photograph of a practical cell.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2. Core-shell-shell Au@Ag2S@Pt nanocomposites.
Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) image (A), aberration-corrected high-angle dark-field scanning TEM (STEM) image (B), nanoscale element mappings (C to H), and elemental profiles in STEM mode (I) of core-shell-shell Au@Ag2S@Pt nanocomposites prepared in oleylamine at elevated temperatures. a.u., arbitrary units.
Fig. 3
Fig. 3. Core-shell Au@Pd nanoparticles.
TEM image (A), aberration-corrected high-angle dark-field STEM image (B), nanoscale element mappings (C to F), and elemental profiles in STEM mode (G) of core-shell Au@Pd nanoparticles prepared in oleylamine using an Au-catalyzed strategy.
Fig. 4
Fig. 4. Performance of the assembled DMFC with selective or commercial catalysts.
Polarization (A and C) and power density curves (B and D) of the assembled DMFC at different methanol feed concentrations with selective catalysts (A and B) and commercial Pt/C catalysts (C and D); comparison of the assembled DMFC with selective and commercial Pt/C catalysts in terms of open circuit cell voltage (E) and power density (F).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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