An overview of unsolved deficiencies of direct methanol fuel cell technology: factors and parameters affecting its widespread use

Abstract

SUMMARY Direct methanol fuel cells (DMFCs) have evolved over the years as a potential candidate for application as a power source in portable electronic devices and in transportation sectors. They have certain associated advantages, including high energy and power densities, ease of fuel storage and handling, ability to be fabricated with small size, minimum emission of pollutants, low cost, ready availability of fuel and solubility of fuel in aqueous electrolytes. However, in spite of several years of active research involved in the development of DMFC technology, their chemical‐to‐electrical energy conversion efficiencies are still lower compared with other alternative power sources traditionally used. This review paper will focus on the existing issues associated with DMFC technology and will also suggest on the possible developmental necessities required for this technology to realize its practical potentials. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

NiSn bimetallic nanoparticles as stable electrocatalysts for methanol oxidation reaction

“…Methanol provides numerous advantages as a fuel, including safe handling, storage and transportation, solubility in aqueous electrolytes, availability and potential generation from renewable energies, high power and energy density (6100 Wh kg -1 ) with high oxidation rates that do not require C-C bond breaking, low emissions and fast recharging and cell startup at low temperature [3,4]. However, a major drawback of this technology, currently delaying its extensive commercialization, is its high manufacturing cost, which is in large part related to the dependence on Pt-based electrocatalysts for both methanol oxidation at the anode and oxygen reduction at the cathode [1,5,6].…”

Water Molecular Adsorption on the Low-Index Pt Surface: A Density Functional Study

“…In the DMFCs, interactions of H2O with metal surfaces are observed at both the anode and the cathode. These are related to either methanol electrooxidation reaction (MOR) at the anode or the product of oxygen electroreduction reaction (ORR) at the cathode [4][5]. Here, the water-surface interaction at the anode is more interesting because the water acts as a solvent for methanol fuel or simply as reactants, while the water at the cathode acts as unused products.…”

Galvanic exchange platinization reveals laser-inscribed pattern in 3D-LAM-printed steel

“…The oxidation process at this potential can be assigned to methanol oxidation (Eq. (2)), which is of particular relevance to fuel cell applications [22,23].…”