• New & Renewable Energy
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• v.3 no.1 s.9
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• pp.68-74
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• 2007

The fuel cells for portable application are attracted using a liquid fuel such as methanol and chemical hydride solutions. Recently, DBFC [Direct Borohydride Fuel Cell] is a candidate for power of portable electronic devices. In this work, the anion exchange membrane and non-precious catalyst for the DBFC were concerned. Anion-exchange membrane was fabricated by amination of polysulfone followed chloromethylation. Non-precious catalysts such as raney-Ni and Ag were used as an anode and cathode catalyst. The optimum conditions of catalyst slurry mixing and MEA fabrication were developed. The single cell performance using anion exchange membrane and non-precious catalyst was evaluated and the results were compared with cation exchange membrane [Nafion membrane] and precious catalysts.

• Proceedings of the IEEK Conference
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• 2008.06a
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• pp.505-506
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• 2008

The direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) is a promising power source for portable applications due to many advantages such as simple construction, compact design, high energy density, and relatively high energy-conversion efficiency. In this work, an electrochemical methanol sensor for monitoring the methanol concentration in direct methanol fuel cells was fabricated using a thin composite nafion membrane as the electrolyte. We have analyzed the I-V characteristic of the fabricated methanol sensor as a function of methanol concentration, catalyst electrode and platinum(Pt) dot.

• Proceedings of the Polymer Society of Korea Conference
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• 2006.10a
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• pp.185-185
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• 2006

The performances of proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC), direct formic acid fuel cell (DFAFC) and direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) with sulfonated poly(ether sulfone) membrane are reported. Pt/C was coated on the membrane directly to fabricate a MEA for PEMFC operation. A single cell test was carried out using $H_2/air$ gases as fuel and oxidant. A current density of $730\;mA/cm^2$ at 0.60 V was obtained at $70^{\circ}C$. Pt-Ru (anode) and Pt (cathode) were coated on the membrane for DMFC operations. It produced $83\;mW/cm^2$ of maximum power density. The sulfonated poly(ether sulfone) membrane was also used for DFAFC operation under several different conditions. It showed good cell performances for several different kinds of polymer electrolyte fuel cell applications.

• Carbon letters
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.260-264
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• 2015

• Membrane Journal
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.247-254
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• 2002

In order to develop the ion exchange membranes which would be used in direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC), the polysulfone polymer was sulfonated using chlorosulfonic acid (CSA) and trimethylchlorosilane(TMCS). It has been characterized in terms of ion conductivities, methanol crossover, swelling degree and ion exchange capacities for the heat untreated and treated membranes at $150^{\circ}C.$ Typically, the methanol permeability and ion conductivity at the mole ratio of 1.4 between polysulfone repeating unit and sulfonating agents showed $2.87{\times}10^{-7}\; cm^2/s$(without heat treatment), $1.52{\times}10^{-7}\; cm^2/s$(with heat treatment) and $1.10{\times}10^{-2}\; S/cm$(without heat treatment), $0.87{\times}10^{-2}\;$ S/cm(with heat treatment), respectively. After the mole ration of 1.4 both values indicated mild increase.

• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.12 no.2 s.49
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• pp.117-121
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• 2005

Platinum catalysts for the DMFC (Direct Methanol Fuel Cell) were impregnated on several carbon supports and their catalytic activities were evaluated with cyclic voltammograms of methanol electro-oxidation. To increase the activities of the Pt/C catalyst, carbon supports with high electric conductivity such as mesoporous carbon, carbon nanofiber, and carbon nanotube were employed. The Pt/e-CNF (etched carbon nanofiber) catalyst showed higher maximum current density of $70 mA cm^{-2}$ and lower on-set voltage of 0.54 V vs. NHE than the Pt/Vulcan XC-72 in methanol oxidation. Although the carbon named by CNT (carbon nanotube) series turned out to have larger BET surface area than the carbon named by CNF (carbon nanofiber) series, the Pt catalysts supported on the CNT series were less active than those on the CNF series due to their lower electric conductivity and lower availability of pores for Pt loading. Considering that the BET surface area and electric conductivity of the e-CNF were similar to those of the Vulcan XC-72, smaller Pt particle size of the Pt/e-CNF catalyst and stronger metal-support interaction were believed to be the main reason for its higher catalytic activity.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.46 no.6
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• pp.1142-1147
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• 2008

Nano-structured porous carbon fiber(PCF) for the catalyst supports of the direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) were prepared from the mesophase pitch by using the nano-MgO powders. Specific surface area of the PCFs was $8{\sim}58m^2/g$ and surface pore structures had almost meso pore diameter of 10~20 nm which were depending on the amount of MgO spheres. Aqueous reduction method was used to load 60 wt% PtRu on the prepared PCF supports. The electro-oxidation activity and single cell performance of the 60 wt% Pt-Ru catalysts were measured by cyclic voltammetry and unit cell test. The performances of these catalysts increased by 5~10% compared with one of commercial catalyst.

• Proceedings of the KIEE Conference
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• 1997.07d
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• pp.1358-1360
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• 1997

In this paper, the performance of Pt/$WO_3$ and Pt-$WO_3$ electrodes was studied for the direct methanol fuel cell. The characteristics of Pt/$WO_3$ electrode which was prepared by using electrodeposition method was tested with half-cell experiment. The characteristics of Pt-$WO_3$/C electrode which was Prepared by using freeze-drying method was tested with a single cell experiment. The performance of DMFC single cell which was prepared by Pt-$WO_3/C$ and Pt/C showed a current density of $32mA/cm^2$ at $110^{\circ}C$ & 0.3V(0.5mg Pt/$cm^2$).

• Proceedings of the Korean Fiber Society Conference
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• 2003.10b
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• pp.34-37
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• 2003

The development and improvement of advanced fuel cell systems is a major topic of current research, since fuel cells are considerably more efficient than other energy converters$^1$. In proton exchange membrane fuel cell and direct methanol fuel cell the polymer membrane represents a key component. The membrane materials fulfill complex requirements. It has to combine electrochemical stability, workability, high ionic conductivity, low permeation of the reactants (methanol etc.) (omitted)

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.47 no.3
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• pp.362-367
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• 2009

Recently, the use of formic acid as a fuel for direct liquid fuel cells has emerged as a promising alternative to methanol. In the work presented herein, we evaluated direct formic acid fuel cells(DFAFCs) with various components under operating conditions, for example, the thickness of the proton exchange membrane, concentration of formic acid, gas diffusion layer, and commercial catalyst. The thickness of the proton exchange membrane influenced performance related to the fuel cross-over. To optimize the cell performance, we investigated on the proper concentration of formic acid and catalyst for the formic acid oxidation. Consequently, membrance-electrode assembly(MEA) consisted of $Nafion^{(R)}$-115 and the Pt-Ru black as a anode catalyst showed the maximum performance. This performance was superior to the DMFCs' one.