A Porous Silicon-Based Ionomer-Free Membrane Electrode Assembly for Miniature Fuel Cells

✍ Scribed by T. Pichonat; B. Gauthier-Manuel

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 2006
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 254 KB
• Volume: 6
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 1615-6846
• DOI: 10.1002/fuce.200500261

✦ Synopsis

Abstract

Previous work showed the pertinence of using grafted porous silicon as the proton exchange membrane for miniature fuel cells. One of the limitations was the membrane‐electrodes assembly, which required an ionomer, in the current study a 5% Nafion®‐117 solution, to ensure a proton‐conducting link between the commercial carbon cloth electrodes and the membrane. Here, new developments for this fuel cell, with a totally Nafion®‐free process, are reported. The Pt catalyst is sputtered and electrodeposited onto the surface of the proton conducting porous silicon membrane. The initial performance of this fuel cell is shown and demonstrates the validity of the technique.