Catalyst inks and method of application for direct methanol fuel cells

Patent · Tue Feb 24 00:00:00 EST 2004

OSTI ID:1007498

Zelenay, Piotr ^[1]; Davey, John ^[1]; Ren, Xiaoming ^[1]; Gottesfeld, Shimshon ^[1]; Thomas, Sharon C ^[2]

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1. Los Alamos, NM
2. Vancouver, CA

Inks are formulated for forming anode and cathode catalyst layers and applied to anode and cathode sides of a membrane for a direct methanol fuel cell. The inks comprise a Pt catalyst for the cathode and a Pt--Ru catalyst for the anode, purified water in an amount 4 to 20 times that of the catalyst by weight, and a perfluorosulfonic acid ionomer in an amount effective to provide an ionomer content in the anode and cathode surfaces of 20% to 80% by volume. The inks are prepared in a two-step process while cooling and agitating the solutions. The final solution is placed in a cooler and continuously agitated while spraying the solution over the anode or cathode surface of the membrane as determined by the catalyst content.

• Research Organization: Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-36
• Assignee: The Regents of the University of California (Los Alamos, CA)
• Patent Number(s): 6,696,382
• Application Number: 09/715,211
• OSTI ID: 1007498
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English