Ruthenium crossover in direct methanol fuel cell with Pt-Ru black anode

In this study, we provide electrochemical and X-ray fluorescence evidence of ruthenium crossover in direct methanol fuel cells using a state-of-the-art Pt-Ru alloy catalyst at the anode. We find ruthenium susceptible to leaching out from the highly active Pt-Ru black catalyst, crossing the proton-conducting Nafion membrane and redepositing at the Pt cathode on the opposite side of the fuel cell. After first detecting this phenomenon in a direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) stack with a history of cell-voltage reversal, we have since observed ruthenium crossover under virtually all DMFC operating conditions, from single cell break-in (humidification) to stack life testing. The degree of cathode contamination by ruthenium species (of chemical form yet unknown! depends on, among other factors, the DMFC anode potential and the cell operating time. Once deposited at the cathode, ruthenium inhibits oxygen reduction kinetics and the catalyst's ability to handle methanol crossover. Depending on the degree of cathode contamination, the overall effect of ruthenium crossover on cell performance may be from as little as similar to40 mV up to 200 mV. (C) 2004 American Institute of Physics.