Direct methanol fuel cells for automotive applications: a review

Abstract

There is an immediate need to find a viable alternative for fossil fuels by switching over to low non-carbon fuels. Hydrogen being a high-energy carrier has been quite successful in fuel cell mode of operation. Difficulties, such as its cost-intensive production and storage, onboard storage and safety of operation, attracted the researchers to explore methanol in fuel cell applications. Methanol being a liquid fuel allows ease of production and handling in existing infrastructure. However, it was explored in small and portable electronic devices. The use of methanol in fuel cell applications led to the problem of methanol crossover, carbon dioxide bubble formation and poisoning of electrodes. The present paper reviews the efforts made by the research community in the development of improving the existing and developing new membranes, new flow field plate designs and new anode catalysts while addressing the challenges with regards to the use and possible solutions.

KEYWORDS:

• Fuel cell
• direct methanol fuel cell
• methanol crossover
• flow field plate
• new catalysts
• new membranes

Acknowledgements

The authors are highly grateful to the authorities of National Institute of Technology Warangal, India, for providing digital library facilities for accessing journals of repute.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).