Fabrication process of sloped micro-channel electrodes for μ-DMFC

In this paper, we discussed the fabrication of micro-channel electrodes for very small DMFC (direct methanol fuel cell), i.e., mu-DMFC, where the channels composed of a current collector and a catalyst layer. The micro-channel electrodes were fabricated on a silicon wafer with a combination of photolithography, chemical etching with potassium hydroxide, spray coating, and electrodeposition method. The catalyst layer formation of Pt and PtRu was achieved by combining pulse electrodeposition with direct current electrodeposition. From these new processes, the mu-DMFC single unit cell was able to be operated for longer time operation compared with that of prototype test cell which was already reported in the previous paper.