Mixed-feed Direct Methanol Fuel Cells

The need for high energy density, lightweight power sources for demanding portable electronic applications gives incentive to the search for novel fuel cell concepts and approaches that could reduce size, weight, and system complexity. Such power sources could find applications in variety of portable medical devices, computer hardware, and military equipment. We are developing a direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) system design approach where the fuel (methanol) and air are mixed and fed simultaneously to both the anodes and the cathodes of the fuel cell stack. This approach leads to substantial size and weight reductions by eliminating the need for bipolar flow-field/separator plates and cell seals and by simplifying fluid manifolds. The key issues are the need for selective electrocatalyis at both the anode and cathode and efficient mixing and separation systems upstream and downstream of the fuel cell stack, respectively.

Transport and Stability in Biocatalytic Fuel Cells

Enzyme electrocatalysts are an attractive alternative to conventional noble metals because of their high selectivity, manufacturability by fermentation techniques, and activity in environments where platinum-group metals are fouled. Until recently, however, they were not considered to be practical catalysts for energy applications because the current density, potential, and stability of the resulting cells were insufficient. We study chemical engineering aspects of the materials and structures used to implement these enzymes in electrodes, such as carbon supports, electronic mediators, and reactant transport mechanisms, in order to improve and maximize the overall performance and stability of bioelectocatalytic systems.

Reviewed Journal Publications

<strong>Calabrese Barton, S.</strong>; Sun, Y.; Chandra, B.; White, S.; Hone, J. "Mediated Enzyme Electrodes with Combined Micro- and Nanoscale Supports," <em>Electrochemical and Solid-State Letters</em> 10(5), B96-B100, (2007).<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1149/1.2712049" target="_blank">(link)</a>

Sun, Y.; <strong>Calabrese Barton, S.</strong> "Methanol tolerance of a mediated, biocatalytic oxygen cathode," <em>J. Electroanal. Chem.</em> 590(1), 57-65, (2006).<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jelechem.2006.02.020" target="_blank">(link)</a>

Hudak, N. S.; <strong>Calabrese Barton, S.</strong> "Mediated Biocatalytic Cathode for Direct Methanol Membrane-Electrode Assemblies," <em>J. Electrochem. Soc.</em> 152(5), A876-A881, (2005).<a href="http://link.aip.org/link/?JES/152/A876/1" target="_blank">(link)</a>

<strong>Calabrese Barton, S.</strong> "Oxygen Transport in Composite Mediated Biocathodes," <em>Electrochim. Acta</em> 50, 2145-2153, (2005).<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.electacta.2004.09.022" target="_blank">(link)</a>

<strong>Calabrese Barton, S.</strong>; Gallaway, J.; Atanassov, P. "Enzymatic Biofuel Cells for Implantable and Microscale Devices," <em>Chem. Rev.</em> 104(10), 4867-4886, (2004).<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/cr020719k" target="_blank">(link)</a>

Chen, T.; <strong>Calabrese Barton, S.</strong>; Binyamin, G.; Gao, Z.; Zhang, Y.; Kim, H.-H.; Heller, A. "A Miniature Biofuel Cell," <em>J. Am. Chem. Soc.</em> 123(35), 8630-8631, (2001). <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/ja0163164" target="_blank">(link)</a>

<strong>Calabrese Barton, S.</strong>; Kim, H.-H.; Binyamin, G.; Zhang, Y.; Heller, A. "The "Wired" Laccase Cathode: High Current Density Electroreduction of O2 to Water at +0.7 V (NHE) at pH 5,"<em> J. Am. Chem. Soc.</em> 123(24), 5802-5803, (2001). <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/ja010408b" target="_blank">(link)</a>

Conference Proceedings

Modroukas, D.; Modi, V.; Frechette, L.; <strong>Calabrese Barton, S.</strong> "Water Management and Mass Transport Studies in Free Convection Proton-Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells," <em>ECS Transactions</em> 1(6), 419-428, (2006).<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1149/1.2214513" target="_blank">(link)</a>

<strong>Calabrese Barton, S.</strong>; Sun, Y.; Chandra, B.; Hone, J. "Utilization and Transport in Mediated Enzyme Electrodes with Multiscale Supports," <em>ECS Transactions</em> 3(1), 1341-1350, (2006).<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1149/1.2356254" target="_blank">(link)</a>

<strong>Calabrese Barton, S.</strong>; Deng, W.; Gallaway, J. W.; Levendovsky, S.; Olson, T. S.; Atanassov, P.; Sorkin, M.; Kaufman, A.; Gibbard, H. F. "Mixed-Feed Direct Methanol Fuel Cell: Materials and Design Solutions," <em>ECS Transactions</em> 1(6), 315-322, (2006).<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1149/1.2214502" target="_blank">(link)</a>