Compact Alkaline Fuel Cell System

The Army has a strong need for very high-energy density (> 1000 WH/kg), light weight power sources for communications and other advanced electronic devices. The possible solution is replacing the battery with hydrogen based proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell. However, hydrogen storage and handling is a problem. Direct oxidation fuel cell (DOFC) with a PEM is quite attractive alternative. However, due to slow reduction and oxidation kinetics in the acidic media and fuel crossover issue, those systems have not reached their full potentials. It is well known that electrochemical oxidation of fuel and electrochemical reductions of oxygen are kinetically more favorable in an alkaline media at low temperature (T < 100oC). Therefore, alkaline electrolyte offers the best prospects for using non-noble metal as the catalyst. An alkaline electrolyte based direct oxidation fuel cell could provide a promising route toward the compact, high specific energy power sources. Driven by the strong market pull for this technology, eVionyx Inc, a subsidiary of Reveo Inc., has conducted extensive investigations into solutions to those problems in the Phase I program. A novel direct oxidation alkaline fuel cell was developed and tested. In the phase II program, we are going to further develop the technology. By the end of the program, we expect that a prototype AFC will be delivered that meet the program objectives, i.e. to design, construct and evaluate a portable AFC that can deliver a specific energy of more than 1000 Wh/kg at 20W power with a total energy of 1.4 kWH.