Methanol/air fuel cells: catalytic aspects and experimental diagnostics

Methanol/air fuel cell with direct feed of methanol has received growing attention due to the possibility of using a liquid fuel of simple storing. This work comments studies on the preparation of PtRu catalysts for methanol oxidation and on the influence of different operative parameter on the performance of a lab scale fuel cell.The best conditions for PtRu catalysts preparation using metal electrodeposition techniques were found. Different carbon materials were used, such as glassy carbon, carbon paper and graphite fiber cloths and felts . The more active materials were found to be graphite felts after being preoxidized electrochemically to obtain a higher surface oxide concentration.Acceptable performance of the fuel cell was obtained working at 90∘C and low methanol concentration, because in these conditions the potential, the transport process rates and the electrode reaction kinetics increase.