Fabrication of micro power source (MPS) using a micro direct methanol fuel cell (μDMFC) for the medical application

This paper presents the fabrication and test of a micro power source (MPS) using a micro direct methanol fuel cell (mu DMFC). Micro power sources are essential for cellular phones, portable electronics and MEMS devices to be miniaturized. The mu DMFC has a simple structure. The mu DMFC consists of one proton exchange membrane (PEM) and two silicon substrates with channels. The width and the depth of the micro channel are 250 mum and 50 mum, respectively. The dimension of one unit of mu DMFC is 16 mm x 16 mm x 1.2 mm. When fuel (methanol : water = 1 : 1) is supplied to the fabricated cell, the measured output voltage is 100 mV at 25 degreesC and the atmospheric pressure.