Performance improvement of a PEMFC using fuels with CO by addition of oxygen-evolving compounds

A new method is described to improve the performance of a proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) using reformed methanol or H-2/CO as fuels. The addition of liquid hydrogen peroxide to the humidification water for the fuel gas leads to a heterogeneous decomposition of H2O2 and formation of active oxygen. In this way adsorbed CO is oxidized nonelectrochemically to CO2 and the blocking of the hydrogen oxidation reaction at the anode can be avoided. It is demonstrated that a complete recovery of the CO-free performance is achieved for H-2/100 ppm CO.