Design, optimization and microfabrication of a micro-direct methanol fuel cell with microblocks in anode structure

This paper presents a micro-direct methanol fuel cell (μDMFC) featured by the novel anode structure with microblocks, which stir the methanol solution and make the liquid undulate through the whole channel. Several channels with microblocks varying in number and dimensions are modeled and simulated. Both the μDMFC with microblocks and the regular one without microblocks are fabricated and assembled by using MEMS technologies and polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) materials. The performances of the two prototypes are measured and compared. Experimental results show that the μDMFC with microblocks has generated a maximum power density of 8.08 mW/cm2, which is much higher than that of the regular one at the value of 3.87 mW/cm2, using 2 M methanol solution at room temperature.