Direct methanol fuel cell with extended reaction zone anode: PtRu and PtRuMo supported on graphite felt

Pressed graphite felt (thickness ~350 μm) with electrodeposited PtRu (43 g m−2, 1.4:1 atomic ratio) or PtRuMo (52 g m−2, 1:1:0.3 atomic ratio) nanoparticle catalysts was investigated as an anode for direct methanol fuel cells. At temperatures above 333 K the fuel cell performance of the PtRuMo catalyst was superior compared to PtRu. The power density was 2200 W m−2 with PtRuMo at 5500 A m−2 and 353 K while under the same conditions PtRu yielded 1925 W m−2. However, the degradation rate of the Mo containing catalyst formulation was higher. Compared to conventional gas diffusion electrodes with comparable PtRu catalyst composition and load, the graphite felt anodes gave higher power densities mainly due to the extended reaction zone for methanol oxidation.