MEMS-based polymer electrolyte fuel cell

Abstract

A Micro-Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cell (μ-PEFC) with "alternating structure" was demonstrated. The alternating structure has a series of single cells formed in one plane, and the polarization of each single cell is alternately inverted. This structure has self-assembled cell interconnection on micromachined silicon substrates. The μ-PEFC has a size of 20 × 27 mm, and consists of 9 cells with a size of 1.2 × 15 mm connected in series. The voltage of a single cell was about 0.4 V, when a 10 MΩ load was connected to the cell. The potential of a six-stacked cell was, however, only 0.18 V under the same testing condition as used in the single cell test. This is probably caused by cross-talk and hydrogen leakage between the electrodes which are formed on the same substrate.