| abstract |
A liquid organic fuel cell is provided which employs ansolid electrolyte membrane. An organic fuel, such as anmethanol/water mixture, is circulated past an anode of ancell while oxygen or air is circulated past a cathode of thencell. The cell solid electrolyte membrane is preferablynfabricated from Nafion™. Additionally, a method fornimproving the performance of carbon electrode structures fornuse in organic fuel cells is provided wherein a highnsurface-area carbon particle/Teflon™-binder structure isnimmersed within a Nafion™/methanol bath to impregnate thenelectrode with Nafion™. A method for fabricating an anodenfor use in a organic fuel cell is described wherein metalnalloys are deposited onto the electrode in an electrodepositionnsolution containing perfluorooctanesulfonic acid.nA fuel additive containing perfluorooctanesulfonic acid fornuse with fuel cells employing a sulfuric acid electrolyte isnalso disclosed. New organic fuels, namely,ntrimethoxymethane, dimethoxymethane, and trioxane are alsondescribed for use with either conventional or improved fuelncells. |