Compact direct (m)ethanol fuel cell for portable applications

General Information

The objective of this project is to develop a low cost, low temperature, portable direct methanol fuel cell device. It will also offer limited operation on ethanol fuel and will be of compact construction and modular design. The areas of development will include novel proton exchange membranes, anode and cathode electrocatalysts and fully optimized multilayer membrane electrode assemblies. New low-cost proton exchange membranes will be developed to reduce the fuel crossover rate through the electrolyte to levels significantly lower than that of currently available materials (e.g. Nafiona). New electrocatalyst materials will be developed to enhance the low temperature methanol (and ethanol) electro-oxidation activity of the anode. Catalyst development for the cathode will focus on enhancing the oxygen reduction activity of platinum electrocatalyst and increasing its selectivity to enhance methanol tolerance. The structure of the electrocatalyst and electrode layers will be optimized to promote efficient operation at low temperatures with practical flows and pressures.

EU-Programme Acronym and Subprogramme Area	FP6-2002-Energy-1, 6.1.3.2.1. Fuel cells including their applications
Project Type	STREP
Contract Number	SES6-CT-2003-502652
Co-ordinator	Helmholtz Zentrum Hereon (DE)

Total Eligible Costs (€)	Hereon Eligible Costs (€)	EC Funding for Hereon (€)
3.925.231	548.044	309.994

Contact Person at Hereon

Prof. Dr. Volker Abetz, Institute of Polymer Research, PM Phone: +49 4152 87 2461, (initial contact: Prof. Suzanna Pereira-Nunes, Institute of Polymer Research) E-mail contact

Participants

Centro Ricerche Fiat S.C.p.A. (IT), CNR-ITAE, Institute for Transformation and Storage of Energy, Messina (IT), Institut für Mikrotechnik Mainz GmbH (DE), Johnson Matthey (UK), NedStack fuel cell components BV (NL), NedStack fuel cell technology BV (NL), Solvay S.A. (BE)

Last Update: 18. May 2021