Recent advances in the development of direct alcohol fuel cells (DAFC)

Recent developments into technology of proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFC) now allow serious consideration to be given to a direct alcohol fuel cell (DAFC) based on a PEMFC, in which alcohol is used directly as the fuel. This is particularly advantageous for mobile applications, since this will avoid the use of a bulky and expensive reformer. However, the relatively complex reaction mechanism, leading to a low electroreactivity of most alcohols, even methanol, needs the investigation of new platinum-based electrocatalysts, particularly active for breaking the C-C bond when alcohols other than methanol are to be used. Moreover, in order to overcome the deleterious effect of alcohol crossover through the proton exchange membrane, it is necessary to develop new oxygen reduction electrocatalysts insensitive to the presence of alcohols. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.