Self-Pumping Membraneless Miniature Fuel Cell With an Air-Breathing Cathode

摘要: We introduce a simple and compact fuel-cell architecture consisting of only solid channels demonstrate its validity by developing miniature direct formic acid fuel cell (DFAFC). The proposed generates electric power while pumping the removing byproduct CO2 without any discrete pump, gas separator, or membrane electrode assembly (MEA). pump separator are embedded in channel, as reported before, directionally growing venting bubbles formed inside reaction microchannels using "virtual check valve" microporous hydrophobic membrane. new further eliminates MEA, along with issues associated it, flowing one stream electrolyte mixture single channel both an anode air-breathing cathode. system obtains supply oxygen directly from quiescent air through gas-diffusion cathode rather than tank. By eliminating all ancillary parts, so-called "packaging penalty," which has been hindering miniaturization cells below order centimeter, is avoided. This self-standing unit produces 16.7 mW/cm2, performance comparable to existing bulkier DFAFCs that use external pumps, pressurized MEA.