Development and tailoring nanoelectrodes for micropower fuel cells

微型燃料电池(m-FCS)是治疗人类疾病的外部和植入式医疗设备、传感器、无线MEMS等所需要的。性能优越的m-FC电极具有更好的电催化剂利用率，是一个至关重要的研究课题。纳米结构将导致贵金属的更好利用，从而降低电极成本。这项研究计划的长期目标是：i)开发和定制用于下一代m-FCS的催化剂/碳纳米管/衬底纳米结构电极。这两个里程碑是：(1)在预图案化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)在预图案化微通道上控制电化学沉积纳米催化剂。该提案侧重于里程碑(1)和(2)中合成的材料在与燃料和氧化剂发生电化学相互作用时的基本结构/性能-性能关系，与液体微燃料电池相关。进一步的重点将放在纳米级工作所带来的挑战上，例如物理、化学、机械和电化学性质在该水平上的变化方式。进一步的重点将是研究当固体、液体和气体被限制在较小的微通道区域时发生的变化。这项研究提案将产生的发现将为技术电极的整个结构控制m-FCS性能的方式提供亟需的洞察。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.