Self-assembly of shape selective nano-catalyst impregnated membranes: Toward direct methanol fuel cells (DMFC)

Direct methanol fuel cells (DMFCs) have recently attracted much interest as a promising alternative to conventional batteries, especially in portable electronic devices. The practical use of DMFC depends largely on the membrane performance (e.g. methanol crossover from anode to cathode), catalyst activity and longevity, and materials cost (e.g. membrane, electrolyte, and catalyst). We addressed these problems by producing nano-sized platinum materials with different morphologies (e.g. spheres, rods, cubes, hollow vs. solid) and self assembled them into castable Nafion® membranes. These nanoparticles and membranes were characterized by transmission electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray analysis, dynamic light scattering, and catalytic activity in lab-scale DFMCs.