Development and tailoring nanoelectrodes for micropower fuel cells

微型燃料电池（m- fc）用于治疗人类疾病的外部和植入式医疗设备、传感器、无线MEMS等。更好地利用电催化剂的优质m-FC电极是一个非常重要的研究课题。纳米结构将使贵金属得到更好的利用，从而降低电极成本。该研究计划的长期目标是：i)开发和ii)为下一代m- fc定制催化剂/碳纳米管/衬底纳米结构电极。这两个里程碑是：(1)在预制微通道燃料电池电极上控制合成垂直排列良好的单壁碳纳米管（SWNTs）和多壁碳纳米管（MWNTS）；(2)在预制微通道上控制纳米催化剂的电化学沉积。该提案的重点是在里程碑(1)和里程碑(2)中合成的材料的基本结构/性能关系，当提交给与液体微燃料电池相关的燃料和氧化剂的电化学相互作用时。进一步的重点将放在纳米级工作所带来的挑战上，如物理、化学、机械和电化学性质在纳米级上的变化方式。进一步的重点将是研究当固体、液体和气体被限制在更小的微通道区域时所发生的变化。从这项研究计划中产生的发现将为技术电极的整体结构控制m- fc性能的方式提供急需的见解。这将有助于改善加拿大的这些技术，从而提高加拿大人的生活质量。

Micro fuel cells (m-FCs) are required for external and implantable medical devices for the treatment of human illness, sensors, wireless MEMS, etc. Superior m-FC electrodes with better utilization of electrocatalyst, is a research topic of utmost importance. Nanostructures will lead to better utilization of noble metal and hence low electrode cost. The long-term objectives of this research programme are: i) to develop and ii) tailor catalysts/CNTs/substrate nanostructured electrodes for next generation m-FCs. The two milestones are: (1) controlled synthesis of synthesis of vertically well-aligned single wall carbon-nanotubes (SWNTs) and Multi walls carbon nanotubes (MWNTS) on prepatterned microchannel fuel cell electrodes, and (2) controlled electrochemical deposition of nanocatalysts on prepatterned microchannel. The proposal focuses on the fundamental structure/property-performance relationships of materials synthesized in milestones (1) and (2) when submitted to electrochemical interactions with fuels and oxidant of relevance to liquid-based microfuel cells. Further focus will be on the challenges stemming from working at nanoscale such as the way physical, chemical, mechanical, and electrochemical properties change at that level. Further focal point will be on studying changes occurring when solids, liquids, and gases are confined to regions smaller as microchannels. Discoveries that will emerge from this research proposal will provide much needed insight into the way in which the whole structure of technical electrodes controls the performance of m-FCs. This will help improve these technologies in Canada and by that the quality of life of Canadians.