Influence of liquid electrolyte and liquid flowing electrolyte on the performance of an air breathing direct methanol fuel cell (ABDMFC)

Abstract

The use of renewable energy is becoming common due to increased power demand, fluctuating oil prices, and environmental concerns. Air breathing direct methanol fuel cells (ABDMFCs) offer a promising alternative for low-power and portable applications due to their quick recharging, high efficiency, long lifespan, low fuel cost, reduced pollution, and quiet operation. This paper reports on three stages of experimental research on ABDMFCs. In the first stage, we examined the influence of cathode current collector design on the performance of conventional ABDMFC with a single serpentine (1-S) graphite flow field design at anode, and changed methanol concentrations and the methanol flow rates, achieving a power density of 6.8 mW/cm². The second stage involved adding NaOH (liquid flowing electrolyte—FE) to the methanol fuel, which increased the power density to 7.5 mW/cm² and reduced methanol crossover. In the third stage, introducing a liquid electrolyte (LE) layer between two membrane electrode assemblies (MEAs) further improved the power density to 8.32 mW/cm², reducing methanol crossover. Compared to conventional ABDMFCs, the addition of NaOH and the LE improved power density by 10.3% and 22.35%, respectively.