Electrochemical Generation of Hydrogen from Methanol

The US Army has identified limitations of the DMFC (poor efficiency) and RMFC (complex system, high temperature process) approaches, and is soliciting innovation that will enable high efficiency hydrogen generation from methanol in a simple approach that has minimal thermal signature. It is the objective of this project to address these needs through the development of a novel hybrid electrochemical power generation device utilizing a direct methanol electrolyzer (DME) and a hydrogen/air fuel cell (FC). Giner Electrochemical Systems, LLC (GES) and NASA"s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) have teamed repeatedly since the early 1990"s to advance the state-of-the-art DMFC technology, and will collaborate in this STTR Phase I program to adapt our technology to the DME. Advanced electrocatalysts and electrolyte materials will be developed to optimize the efficiency of the methanol-to-hydrogen conversion, and a unitized cell construction will be developed. A high-pressure DME cathode will provide hydrogen with low levels of MeOH and carbon dioxide. GES"experience in integrated electrochemical systems and recent work by JPL will be leveraged to conceptualize a complete system design for a 25W DME-FC hybrid. This system concept would be realized in Phase II, resulting in the delivery of two 25W systems to the Army.