Sains Malaysiana 39(6)(2010): 1015–1023

Reka Bentuk dan Pembangunan Mikro Sel Fuel Metanol Langsung  (μSFML) untuk Aplikasi Mudah Alih

(Design and Development of Micro Direct Methanol Fuel Cell  (μDMFC) for Portable Application)

N. Hashim, S.K. Kamarudin* & W.R.W. Daud

Institut Sel Fuel, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia

Received: 28 April 2009 / Accepted: 16 May 2010

ABSTRAK

Sel tunggal dan berbilang sel metanol langsung berskala mikro dengan luas permukaan 1.0 cm2 beroperasi secara pasif telah dibangunkan dan diuji. Gas oksigen telah diambil dari persekitaran dan larutan metanol disimpan pada ruang tersedia pada bahagian anod. Prestasi sel tunggal diuji dengan menggunakan beberapa kepekatan metanol antara 1.0 M hingga 5.0 M dan keputusan menunjukkan kepekatan 4.0 M memberikan prestasi yang optimum pada operasi sel. Stek yang mengandungi 6 sel difabrikasi dan diuji dengan menggunakan kepekatan metanol optimum iaitu 4.0 M dan tenaga yang terhasil dengan muatan mangkin yang berbeza pada anod dibandingkan. Kombinasi muatan mangkin 3.0 mg cm-2 Pt/Ru pada anod dan 2.0 mg cm-2 Pt pada katod memberikan nilai tenaga yang paling tinggi antara kombinasi lain iaitu 12.05 mW pada 1.08 V dan 11.2 mA.

Kata kunci: Muatan mangkin; sel fuel mikro; reka bentuk; SFML

ABSTRACT

A passive, air-breathing single cell and a multi-cell stack micro direct methanol fuel cell with 1.0 cm2 active area were designed, fabricated and tested. The fuel cell was completely passive without any ancillary device such as pump. Oxygen was taken from the surrounding air, and the methanol solution was stored in a built-in reservoir. The performance of the single cell was tested with different methanol concentrations ranging from 1.0 M to 5.0 M, and the optimum performance was achieved by using methanol at a concentration of 4.0 M. A stack with 6 cells was fabricated and tested with the optimum methanol concentration of 4.0 M, and power levels produced by different catalyst loadings on the anode were compared. The combination of a catalyst loading of 3.0 mg cm-2 Pt/Ru on the anode and 2.0 mg cm-2 Pt on the cathode yielded the highest power of 12.05 mW at 1.08 V and 11.2 mA.

Keywords: Catalyst loading; micro fuel cell; design; DMFC

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*Corresponding author: ctie@vlsi.eng.ukm.my