In-situ Observation of CO₂ through the Self-purging in Alkaline Membrane Fuel Cell (AMFC)

Abstract

Alkaline membrane fuel cell (AMFC) performance was investigated comparing clean air and ambient air as oxidizing gases. Maximum power density was 120 mW/cm2 in the case of ambient air, and it was below 1/2 of that obtained with clean air. By analyzing anode exhaust gas with FT-IR or mass spectroscopy, released CO2 through the self-purging was directly observed for the first time. In the case of clean air, almost all HCO3- counter anion was released at the higher current density, to make the AMFC performance better.