Abstract: Passive Direct methanol fuel cells (DMFC) are more suitable for charging small capacity electronic devices. In passive DMFC, the fuel and oxidant are supplied by diffusion and natural convection process on the anode and cathode sides respectively. Current collectors (CC) play a vital importance in fuel cell performance. This paper presents the combined impact of perforated and wire mesh current collectors (WMCC) on passive DMFC performance. Three types of open ratios of perforated current collectors (PCC), such as 45.40%, 55.40% and 63.40% and two types of wire mesh current collectors with open ratios of 38.70% and 45.40% were chosen for the experimental work. A combination of Taguchi-L9 rule is considered. A combination of three PCC and two WMCC on both anode and cathode was used. Methanol concentration was varied from 1 mol·L^-1-5 mol·L^-1 for nine combinations of PCC and WMCC. From the experimental results, it is noticed that the combination of PCC and WMCC with an open ratio of 55.40% and 38.70% incorporated passive DMFC produced peak power density at 5 mol·L^-1 of methanol concentration. The passive DMFC performance was evaluated in terms of maximum power density and maximum current density. The combined current collectors of PCC and WMCC open ratios of 55.40% + 38.70% have more stable voltage than single PCC of open ratio 63.40% at 4 mol·L^-1 of methanol concentration.

Key words: Passive DMFC, Perforated current collector, Wire mesh current collector, Methanol concentration, Fuel cell performance

摘要： Passive Direct methanol fuel cells (DMFC) are more suitable for charging small capacity electronic devices. In passive DMFC, the fuel and oxidant are supplied by diffusion and natural convection process on the anode and cathode sides respectively. Current collectors (CC) play a vital importance in fuel cell performance. This paper presents the combined impact of perforated and wire mesh current collectors (WMCC) on passive DMFC performance. Three types of open ratios of perforated current collectors (PCC), such as 45.40%, 55.40% and 63.40% and two types of wire mesh current collectors with open ratios of 38.70% and 45.40% were chosen for the experimental work. A combination of Taguchi-L9 rule is considered. A combination of three PCC and two WMCC on both anode and cathode was used. Methanol concentration was varied from 1 mol·L^-1-5 mol·L^-1 for nine combinations of PCC and WMCC. From the experimental results, it is noticed that the combination of PCC and WMCC with an open ratio of 55.40% and 38.70% incorporated passive DMFC produced peak power density at 5 mol·L^-1 of methanol concentration. The passive DMFC performance was evaluated in terms of maximum power density and maximum current density. The combined current collectors of PCC and WMCC open ratios of 55.40% + 38.70% have more stable voltage than single PCC of open ratio 63.40% at 4 mol·L^-1 of methanol concentration.

关键词: Passive DMFC, Perforated current collector, Wire mesh current collector, Methanol concentration, Fuel cell performance