I– V characteristics of a methanol concentration sensor for direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) by using catalyst electrode of Pt dots

Abstract

In this work, the methanol sensors were fabricated by using Pt dot catalyst electrode and the level of electrochemical response was analyzed. This kind of sensors can be applicable to sensing the methanol concentration in real-time. When we measured the methanol sensor with 5 nm of Pt dot, we could get 2.00 × 10 −6, 3.06 × 10 −6 and 6.25 × 10 −6 A of electric current value for the methanol concentration of 1, 2 and 3 mole, respectively. The measured voltage was 1 V. To optimize the sensitivity level of Pt dot catalyst electrode, the electrodes were made in H-grid shape. The distance between electrode branches was designed to be 80, 150 and 300 μm, respectively. When we measured the electric current–voltage characteristics of methanol sensor with 2 M of methanol, it was 3.06 × 10 −6, 2.02 × 10 −6 and 1.50 × 10 −6 A, for 80, 150 and 200 μm, respectively. Thus it is suggested that more efficient response of methanol sensing is possible when the distance between electrodes is reduced.