Development of Membrane Electrode Assembly for Direct Methanol Fuel Cells

Membrane electrode assembly (MEA) is the key component of the direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC). In the paper, the research and development of MEA for the direct methaol fuel cell (DMFC) is reviewed in four aspects. Firstly, the development of key materials of MEA, i.e. electrocatalysts, proton exchange membrane (PEM), gas diffusion layer (GDL) is introduced. It is believed that research in providing low price and methanol crossover PEM and finding more efficient electrocatalyst with low use of noble metal is important in the key materials research work. Secondly, the fabrication of MEA, including GDL supported GDE method and PEM supported CCM method is reviewed systematically. The CCM method is considered main one in MEA fabrication technologies in the future. Thirdly, the characterization for MEA is introduced. Electrochemistry methods combined modem spectroscopy would be the main choice for characterizing the MEA in the following period of time. Fourthly, development of modeling the DMFC is discussed. Modeling of DMFC is based on modeling of PEMFC, but for DMFC it is more complicated. In the future, when modeling the MEA of DMFC, the gas-liquid (CO2 and aqueous methanol solution) two-phase flow in anode and the methanol crossover in cathode should be considered carefully. At last the prospects of the MEA for DMFC is discussed.