Performance of internal reforming methanol fuel cell under various methanol/water concentrations

Abstract

Copper-based reforming catalyst was placed adjacent to ADVENT Technologies high-Temperature polymer electrolyte membrane/electrode assembly in a novel internal reforming methanol fuel cell (IRMFC) and tested for their electrochemical properties and chemical stability under various methanol/water anode feedstreams. Polarization measurements and AC impedance spectroscopy combined with measurements of reactor outlet composition were carried out. Methanol is being reformed inside the anode compartment of the fuel cell at 200 °C producing H2, which is readily oxidized at the anode to produce electricity. The reformer provides enough hydrogen supply for efficient fuel cell operation at 600 mV with 0.2 A cm−2 and a hydrogen stoichiometric ratio of 1.2 (λH2 = H2 fed/H2 reacted = 1.2). However, unreacted MeOH (~5 %) in combination with low H2 content poisons the anode electrode and the cell performance rapidly decreases. Gradual recovery of the initial performance under pure H2 is observed after switching to pure H2. A slight improvement of the cell’s design by the introduction of a pre-reforming step significantly improves the electrocatalytic behavior.