Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy as a diagnostic tool for passive direct methanol fuel cells

Passive direct methanol fuel cells (pDMFCs) are a promising power source for portable electronic devices since they achieve higher power densities than the traditional batteries, and use a liquid fuel, methanol, which is easy to handle, storage and distribute. However, some key challenges, such as fuel and water crossover through the membrane and the system durability/lifetime and costs, need to be overcome in order to introduce these systems in the market. The electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) is used in fuel cell systems as a powerful tool to diagnose the cell behaviour and acquire useful information regarding the different losses that negatively affect the cell performance, towards its optimisation. This paper presents a review of the work developed with pDMFCs using the EIS technique as a diagnostic tool, including the EIS fundamentals and the equivalent electric circuit concept. (C) 2022 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Automated summary

Passive direct methanol fuel cells (pDMFCs) are a promising power source with higher power densities and easy handling of liquid fuel methanol. However, challenges related to fuel and water crossover, system durability, and costs need to be addressed. The electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) is an effective tool for diagnosing cell behavior and optimizing performance.