Ultralow Methanol Crossover Membranes for Higher Energy Density Direct Methanol Fuel Cells

Sponsor: PolyFuel Inc.

• Project Performance Period: 11/1/2007 - 10/31/2009
• Total project (est.): $3,598,858.00
• Requested ATP funds: $1,998,447.00

Advances in portable electronic device functionality, such as wireless networks, RFID, music, television, and global positioning devices, are demanding ever-growing amounts of power and energy that are rapidly exceeding the limits of battery technologies. This growing divergence is referred to by many observers as the "runtime gap." Direct methanol fuel cell ("DMFC") technology is considered by most of the leading consumer electronics companies as the leading technology for overcoming this runtime gap. To date, the commercialization of DMFCs has been impeded by the high levels of methanol crossover characteristic of existing "perfluorinated" membranes and the resulting system-level inefficiencies, including wasted fuel and the generation of excess water and excess heat. Readily available heat and water management system technologies are too large and too complex to be compatible with the small form factors demanded by today's users of portable electronic devices. PolyFuel already has a family of hydrocarbon-based membranes offering a significant advantage over perfluorinated designs, with a 33 to 50 percent improvement in the level of methanol crossover, water flux, and power density. These attributes have proven attractive to DMFC manufacturers, many of whom are developing DMFC-powered laptops, cell phones and other electronic devices. PolyFuel proposes to develop an ultra-low methanol crossover membrane, which would offer a further 75 percent reduction in methanol crossover in order to enable a further 30 to 40 percent improvement in system-level energy density. The technical challenge is to develop a fuel cell membrane that offers higher ion exchange capacity while absorbing a smaller volume of water than current state-of-the-art materials. The proposed technology would result in even smaller, lighter, and less expensive DMFCs, thereby further increasing the rate of commercial adoption. Increasing the runtime of portable electronic devices will have very significant benefits for the U.S. Not only will it result in new capabilities and usage models for existing and future electronic devices, leading to increased worker productivity, but it will also enable the U.S. to once again establish itself as the world leader in portable power, and promote a new, portable fuel cell industry, creating jobs as well as other significant economic benefits.

For project information:

Abigail Johnson, (650) 802-1850
abigail@roeder-johnson.com

ATP Project Manager

H. Felix Wu, (301) 975-4685
felix.wu@nist.gov