The anode efficiency in methanol direct fuel cells-A chronoamperometric approach

A theoretical analysis of the kinetic laws for methanol electrocatalytic oxidation is presented. The fitting of the chronoamperometric data with the mathematical model, allows the discussion of methanol decomposition, carbon monoxide oxidation and direct methanol oxidation on the different surfaces. The time dependent expression of the surface coverage by methanol adsorbates is also derived and the characteristic values of the reaction are calculated for the different platinum electrodes. The potential dependences of parameters directly related to the electrochemical rate constants of the each step were also evaluated.