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Abstract: Gas diffusion layers (GDLs) of direct methanol fuel cells (DMFCs), consisting of a microporous layer (MPL) and a back layer (BL), influence the cell performance and stability significantly due to the critical function that the GDL undertook, i.e., distribution of reactants and removal of the products in electrodes. The hydrophilic/hydrophobic properties of the GDLs are required to tailor to the transport/transfer of reactants/products depending on a specific electrode reaction. One important way to adjust the hydrophobic/hydrophilic properties of GDLs is to vary PTFE content in GDLs. In this paper, we employ infrared spectroscopy technique, specifically, diffuse reflection (DR) method and attenuation total reflection (ATR) method, to determine the PTFE content in both MPLs and BLs quantitatively by comparing the measured C-F intensity with the pre-calibrated standard plots. Compared to the ATR method, the DR method takes advantages of sensitivity, wide range and precision. By the DR method, we succeed in observing that PTFE in MPLs migrates to BLs, consistent with the corresponding EDX results for a sample experienced 600 h lifetime test, suggesting DR method an effective approach to determine quantitatively the hydrophilic/hydrophobic properties of both MPLs and BLs. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: To investigate the effect of carbon support adding sequence on Pt particle sizes and Pt utilizations during the polyol process of the electrocatalyst preparation, a series of Pt/C electrocatalysts (different Pt loadings, two kinds of carbon supports−Vulcan XC and Black Pearls 2000) were prepared, namely, Pt/C-a (first reduced Pt ions to form Pt nanoparticles, which subsequently deposited on carbon supports) and Pt/C-b (Pt precursors were first impregnated with carbon supports, then reduced to Pt nanoparticles). The physical properties of the electrocatalysts were characterized by X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy and nitrogen adsorption. The catalytic activities of the electrocatalysts toward the oxygen reduction reaction and the methanol oxidation reaction were characterized by potentiodynamic measurements. The results show that the carbon support adding sequence has significant effects on the Pt particle sizes, especially for the carbon supports with large amount of micropores, as a result, leading to different catalytic activities. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A new anion exchange membrane was synthesized by a green and facile route---chemically grafting polybenzimidazole (PBI) membrane with BrCH2CH3. The obtained membrane was characterized by means of ex-situ and in-situ tests (EDX, FTIR, AC impedance, single cell test and so on). The results suggested that the group of –CH2CH3 was successfully grafted onto N atom within PBI backbone, while with Br− as counter ion. The corresponding ionic conductivity and ethanol permeability were about 0.022 Scm−1 and 5.24 × 10−8 cm2s−1, respectively. Finally, single cell test suggested that air-breathing alkaline direct ethanol fuel cell with quaternized PBI membrane can deliver a peak power density of about 11 mWcm−2 even at ambient temperature of 13 °C, which was better than those of air-breathing alkaline direct methanol fuel cell in literatures. In addition, a possible reaction mechanism was also proposed and discussed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]