A Methanol Fuel Cell with an Invariant Alkaline Electrolyte

The inconvenience and expense of using hydrogen as a fuel for fuel cells have prompted interest in inexpensive liquid fuels such as methanol. The chief difficulties encountered by workers in the field of methanol cells have been lack of electrolyte invariance, incomplete fuel oxidation, and deactivation of the cathode by dissolved fuel in the electrolyte. Feasibility has been shown for an intermediate temperature methanol fuel cell using a cesium carbonate electrolyte and Teflon‐bonded platinum electrodes at an optimum temperature of 115°–130°C, which is free from all of the above‐mentioned problems. Performance has been studied as a function of temperature, electrolyte composition, fuel composition, and other variables. Material balances have been performed showing complete electrochemical oxidation of the fuel to and . At an operating point of 0.55v at 20 ma/cm 2 , the comparative thermal efficiency is 42%. The conversion of the fuel to electricity in one pass through the cell is 75 to 85%. Power densities of 40–45 milliwatt/cm 2 can be drawn from the cell. An endurance test of over 560 hr has shown a gradual increase in performance with time, and no change in the electrolyte. Performance on carbon monoxide is also reported.