Nanowire-based high-performance "Micro Fuel Cells": one-nanowire, one fuel cell

The first micrometer-sized fuel cell using Nafion/poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) (PVP) nanowires (NPNWs) as the electrolyte was investigated. A 'micro fuel cell' was monolithically integrated on a silicon substrate and consisted of NPNWs, PtRu/C, and Pt/C catalysts, two outleading electrodes, methanol as fuel, and air as oxidant. The performance of the micro fuel cell was orders of magnitude higher than that of a traditional fuel cell power source. The NPNWs used in the study were synthesized by electrospinning. The addition of PVP reduced the cost and increased the processability. Surface morphology studies were performed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) analysis of a nanowire showed that the NPNW had a homogeneous diameter and consisted only of the elements C, O, F, and S. It was observed that the best performance of the developed micro fuel cell was obtained with PtRu/C and Pt/C as catalysts and 0.1M methanol/1.0 mM H₂SO₄ and pure O₂ as reactants.