Inkjet printable anode ink for fuel cell applications

Passive Direct Methanol Fuel Cells (DMFC) are stand-alone power sources that consist of anode and cathode sandwiched between electrodes. Typically the catalyst layer consists of carbon, platinum and ruthenium particles. Platinum and ruthenium are the catalysts and carbon particles provide electrical conductivity. The catalyst and proton-conducting Nafion can be formulated into a printable ink. We present experiments for formulation of inkjet printable stable inks containing the catalyst and Nafion solution. When printed on suitable substrates the inks can provide layers suitable to be used as a part of membrane electrode assemblies (MEAs) of a DMFC device. Two formulations have been successfully manufactured and inkjet printed with laboratory scale printheads: a water based ink and a solvent based ink. The water based ink was compatible with also industrial scale printheads thus providing possibility for process upscaling. However, the solvent based ink is considered to have more potential in DMFC devices since it requires no surfactant that might interfere with the electrochemical reactions.