Ruthenium cluster-like chalcogenide as a methanol tolerant cathode catalyst in air-breathing laminar flow fuel cells

This paper reports the incorporation of a cluster-like RuxSey as a methanol tolerant cathode catalyst in a laminar flow fuel cell. The effect on cell performance of several concentrations of methanol in the cathode stream was investigated for the RuxSey catalyst and compared to a conventional platinum catalyst. While the Pt catalyst exhibited up to ∼80% drop in power density, the RuxSey catalyst showed no decrease in performance when the cathode was exposed to methanol. At several methanol concentrations the RuxSey catalyst performed better than the Pt catalyst. This demonstration of a methanol tolerant catalyst in a laminar flow fuel cell opens up the way for further miniaturization of the cell design and simplification of its operation as the need for an electrolyte stream to prevent fuel crossover has been eliminated.