A vapour-feed direct-methanol fuel cell with proton-exchange membrane electrolyte

Abstract

Results are presented on a vapour-feed direct-methanol fuel cell employing a proton-exchange membrane electrolyte. The fuel cell could be operated with 1% methanol, giving a typical performance of 550 mV at 75 mA cm⁻², and a fuel utilisation coefficient of 0.56. At 2 M methanol concentration, the cell voltage load found to be 610–550 mV at a load current density of 100 mA cm⁻². The observed open-circuit potentials of this cell assembly have been found to be in the range 850–980 mV.