A Single Chamber Direct Methanol Fuel Cell

The complexities associated with H₂ storage project liquid fed direct alcohol fuel cells promising alternative to H₂-O₂ fuel cells. However on the benchmark Pt-based electrocatalytic interface, the multielectron alcohol oxidation kinetics proceed through a parallel pathway mechanism with CO intermediacy, demanding heavy loading of Pt-based catalysts and an expensive Nafion-based membrane. In a sagacious approach by altering the interfacial chemistry at the cathode electrolyte interface, this study shows a single chamber direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) with a Pt-free cathode and a freely diffusing electron acceptor (DEA). The positive redox energy of DEA assisted interfacial methanol oxidation kinetics by chemically unblocking CO poison from the Pt anode catalytic interface while simultaneously bestowing it with inherent electron accepting capability on methanol passive carbon cathode interface, guiding toward a membraneless configuration. In situ Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroelectrochemical studies reveal the methanol oxidation in this membraneless configuration is driven by DEA predominantly in the direct CO-free pathway, with ≈6 times amplification in fuel cell performance metrics than conventional Pt-based DMFC.