On-line System Designing for Multi Function DMFCs

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The Research Project D in the Priority Area conducted several studies related to the system development of direct type fuel cells. This group also developed various measurement systems and special analytical methods, to support the other Research Projects, i.e., Research Project A relating to the development of membrane materials, Research Project B relating to the studies of catalyst and electrode materials, and Research Project C relating to the study on the optimization of membrane and electrode assembly (MEA).The system development studies in the Project D include 3 tasks, i.e., (1) development of an ethanol fuel cell system as an alternative to the toxic DMFC fuel system, (2) development of PEFCs using alkaline polymer membrane materials, and (3) miniaturization of DMFCs using micro fabrication method.(1) A direct ethanol fuel cell is studied and the behavior of the acetaldehyde which is an intermediate product in the anode reaction was investigated. The knowledge obtained in this … More analysis contributes to the realization of direct ethanol fuel cells (DEFCs).(2) Alkaline fuel cells have the advantages that they lower the cathode overpotential, and they provide conditions suitable for catalysts without precious metals. We developed a fuel cell with alkaline membrane. The cell was tested for methanol, ethanol, 2-propanol fuels. The performance of the cell depended on the pH of the fuels. The improvement of the dispersion characteristic of carbon particles was the issue of the alkaline membrane fuel cells.(3) Novel micro DMFCs based on MEMS technology were designed and fabricated. The selective plasma etching method was employed to fabricate the gas channels in the cell. This technology reduces the number of the components in a DMFC and reduces the assembly cost as well as reduces their sizes.The TEM and SEM observation method for the cross section of MEA using a focused ion beam system, which was developed in this group, clarified the structure of the interface between the electrode and electrolyte membrane in the MEAs, and effectively supported the whole research project in the Priority Area. Less