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

Abstract: Fuel cell diffusion 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: The present invention provides a fuel cell that comprises a modified ion exchange membrane. The present invention additionally provides modified membranes produced by in situ polymerisation of monomers, such as aryls, heteroaryls, substituted aryls, substituted heteroaryls or a combination thereof, on and/or within an ion exchange membrane. The modified membranes can exhibit reduced permeability to fuel crossover in comparison to the unmodified membranes, often without a significant increase in ionic resistance. the present invention further provides methods for preparing and testing, or evaluating, the modified membranes and fuel cell comprising the modified membranes.

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.