Direct methanol fuel cell

Abstract

A direct methanol fuel cell has a proton conducting membrane (PCM), a catalyst in contact with the PCM, a gas diffusion layer in contact with the catalyst, and a conducting plate in contact with the gas diffusion membrane. The gas diffusion layer comprises a microporous membrane.

1 . A direct methanol fuel cell comprising 
 a proton conductive membrane    a catalyst juxtaposed to said proton conductive membrane    a gas diffusion layer juxtaposed to and covering said catalyst, said gas diffusion layer comprising a microporous membrane    a conducting plate juxtaposed to and covering said gas diffusion layer and having a flow field therein, said flow field being in communication with said gas diffusion layer    whereby a fuel comprising methanol being catalytically converted to electricity by said cell.    
   
   
       2 . The cell of  claim 1  wherein said gas diffusion layer further comprises a hydrophobic coating next to said catalyst.  
   
   
       3 . The cell of  claim 1  wherein said gas diffusion layer being an asymmetric membrane.  
   
   
       4 . The cell of  claim 3  wherein said pores of said asymmetric membrane having a decreasing diameter across a thickness of said membrane and the narrower diameters being next to said catalyst.  
   
   
       5 . The cell of  claim 1  wherein said gas diffusion layer further comprises a multilayered membrane, wherein one said layer being a thermoplastic microporous membrane and another said layer being a perm-selective layer.  
   
   
       6 . The cell of  claim 5  wherein said perm-selective layer being a gel perm-selective material.  
   
   
       7 . A direct methanol fuel cell comprising 
 a proton conductive membrane having a first face and a second face    an anodic catalyst juxtaposed to said first face    a cathodic catalyst juxtaposed to said second face    a first gas diffusion layer juxtaposed to and covering said anodic catalyst, said first gas diffusion layer comprising a thermoplastic microporous membrane    a second gas diffusion layer juxtaposed to and covering said cathodic catalyst, said second gas diffusion layer comprising a thermoplastic microporous membrane    a first conducting plate juxtaposed to and covering the first gas diffusion layer and having a flow field therein, said flow field being in communication with said first gas diffusion layer    a second conducting plate juxtaposed to and covering the second gas diffusion layer and having a flow field therein, said flow field being in communication with said second gas diffusion layer    whereby a fuel selected from the group of methanol, or methanol/water introduced into the flow field of first conducting plate diffuses to said anodic catalyst where electrons may be generated in a known manner and protons crossover said proton conductive membrane to said cathodic catalyst where said protons may be combined with oxygen in a known manner and thereby generate electricity.