Fabrication of novel double-catalyst layered MEA used in micro DMFC
1.Faculty of Science, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, Yunnan 650504, China; 2.Metallurgical Engineering Postdoctoral Flow Station, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, Yunnan 650093, China; 3. Faculty of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, Yunnan 650504, China; 4.Faculty of Metallurgy and Energy Engineering, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, Yunnan 650093, China
Abstract： As a key component of direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC), the micro structure and property of membrane electrode assembly (MEA) are largely affected by fabrication technology. Catalyst coated membrane (CCM) was employed to prepare MEA with inner catalyst layer. Gas diffusion electrode (GDE) was fabricated with spraying catalyst ink to gain outer catalyst layer. Hot pressing method was used to obtain a novel doublecatalyst layer MEA. Electroless deposition of catalysts on both sides of the proton exchange membrane (PEM) was introduced to prepare MEA with CCM. The results show that the bonding property between electroless catalyst film and PEM is good, and the catalyst layer is pure with Pt in cathode side and PtRu in anode side without crack. From PEM to gas diffusion layer in the novel MEA, three gradients of catalyst concentration gradient, porosity gradient and hydrophilicity gradient are formed. The gradients may be beneficial to mass transfer and electrochemistry reaction in MEA to improve the performance of μDMFC.
2013, Vol. 34 
