Abstract: Electrodes are used in fuel cells for generating electricity from a mixed feed, where the mixed feed comprises a fuel portion and an oxidation portion. Fuel cells incorporating the electrodes and a method of fabricating the fuel cells are described. In some embodiments, the electrodes comprise a barrier layer (120, 160) having first and second sides, permeable to one of the fuel portion and oxidant portions of the mixed feed, a catalyst layer (130, 150) formed on the first side of the barrier layer, and the reactant distribution layer (110, 170), formed on the second side of the barrier layer.

Abstract: Fuel cell catalyst layers, and related systems and methods are disclosed.

Abstract: Acidic groups such as those in the sulfonic acid family have been successfully linked onto the surface of carbon used as catalyst support. Electrodes made using such sulfonated catalysts as used in electrochemical cells improve the performance of the cells, more so than cells fabricated from electrodes using an unsulfonated electrode.

Abstract: The invention is a mixed-reactant fuel cell system with vapor recovery and methods of recovering vapor and generating electrochemical power.

Abstract: A fuel cell using a neat alcohol such as neat 2-propanol, as its fuel is described. The fuel that is purposely not mixed with any amount of water is oxidized directly at the fuel cell anode. The fuel cell can support a higher current density than a fuel cell using 1 M 2-propanol aqueous solution. The energy density of a fuel cell using a neat fuel is much higher than that of one using dilute fuel aqueous solutions.

Abstract: In one aspect, the invention features a method including sorbing carbon monoxide to a catalyst layer of a fuel cell, and oxidizing the carbon monoxide. The method can be used to pre-condition or activate the catalyst layer.

Abstract: A fuel cell using a secondary alcohol such as 2-propanol as fuel is disclosed. The fuel is oxidized directly at the anode without any reforming. Such a direct secondary alcohol fuel cell (D2AFC) possesses a much higher performance than a direct methanol fuel cell, especially at current densities less than 200 mA/cm2. In addition, fuel loss due to crossover in a direct 2-propanol fuel cell (D2PFC) is less than one-sixth of that in a direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC).

Abstract: In one aspect, the invention features a method including sorbing carbon monoxide to a catalyst layer of a fuel cell, and oxidizing the carbon monoxide. The method can be used to pre-condition or activate the catalyst layer.

Abstract: Fuel cell plates, and related systems and methods are disclosed.

Abstract: Fuel cell diffusion layers, and related systems and methods are disclosed.

Abstract: Fuel cell catalyst layers, and related systems and methods are disclosed.

Abstract: Electrodes for an electrochemical cell such as a proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell are treated with steam or a hot solution before they are bonded to a membrane to form a membrane-electrode assembly. Such a treatment effectively increases the performance of the electrodes when they are subsequently tested within the PEM fuel cell. Improved performance is also observed using this technique with a catalyst-coated membrane and a membrane-electrode assembly.

Abstract: A sensing device is featured that electrochemically measures methanol concentration. The sensing device has a flexible composite of layered materials wrapped about a flexible tube having aperture contact with a methanol flow stream. The layered materials sequentially wrapped on the tube are: a polytetrafluoroethylene insulation sheet; an electrically conducting mesh representing the anode current collector; a carbon-based material representing an anode diffusion medium; a catalyst-coated membrane with both sides coated by catalysts such as Pt/Ru and Pt; a carbon-based material serving as the cathode diffusion medium; and an electrically conducting mesh representing the cathode current collector.

Abstract: A membrane-electrode assembly for electrochemical cells such as proton exchange membrane fuel cells and direct methanol fuel cells operating at ambient conditions are activated first by exposing them at a temperature higher than ambient temperature and with the gaseous reactants back-pressurized. The performance of the membrane-electrode assemblies, especially those whose electrodes are of low catalyst loadings made using supported catalysts, improves dramatically after the activation.

Abstract: A method is described for improving the performance of fuel cells such as H2/air PEM fuel cells and direct methanol fuel cells. It has been discovered that H2 evolution can significantly improve the performance of air cathodes and direct methanol fuel cell anodes. The improvement of air cathodes applies to both H2/air PEM fuel cells and direct methanol fuel cells.

Abstract: A fuel cell having a novel configuration including a segmented gas diffusion medium (GDM) or a non-segmented GDM and a separator plate, in which the reactant flow field and liquid coolant field are integrated into one side of a single plate element. The separator plate, in one embodiment, allows for the hydration of the polymer electrolyte membrane of the fuel cell.

Abstract: A fuel cell using a neat alcohol such as neat 2-propanol, as its fuel is described. The fuel that is purposely not mixed with any amount of water is oxidized directly at the fuel cell anode. The fuel cell can support a higher current density than a fuel cell using 1 M 2-propanol aqueous solution. The energy density of a fuel cell using a neat fuel is much higher than that of one using dilute fuel aqueous solutions.

Abstract: A reactant flow system for a proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell stack using a water-soluble fuel is described. The flow system includes the use of single-pass or multi-pass, flow channels. A flow channel section having at least one adjacent channel section whose reactant flows in an opposite direction thereto. The system has respective reactant inlets that are effectively adjacent to reactant outlets of the adjacent channel section. Restrictions are used at the reactant inlets to assure substantially uniform reactant flow among all of the flow channels.

Abstract: A reactant flow system for a proton exchange membrane (PEM), hydrogen-air, fuel cell stack, is described. The flow system includes the use of single-pass or multi-pass, flow channels. A flow channel section having at least one adjacent channel section whose reactant flows in an opposite direction thereto. The system has respective reactant inlets that are effectively adjacent to reactant outlets of the adjacent channel section. Restrictions are used at the reactant inlets to assure substantially uniform reactant flow among all of the flow channels. The PEM fuel cell stack has a mechanism for removing heat therefrom in order to prevent drying out of the electrolyte membrane.

Abstract: A water-pervious oxygen distribution member for a hydrogen fuel cell is made by a method comprising chemical surface treatment of a carbonaceous member to impart hydrophilicity while retaining mechanical strength and electrical properties. The oxygen-distribution member produced provides unobstructed passageways for oxygen to access the cathode while permitting water to egress through porosity of the member.