Porous Transport Structures for Direct-Oxidation Fuel Cell System Operating with Concentrated Fuel

Abstract

One embodiment provides a direct oxidation fuel cell, comprising, in the following order, a catalyst layer; an optional microporous layer; an optional backing layer; and an electrically conductive porous transport structure, comprising, in the following order, a porous body, and an impermeable layer in contact with the porous body. Another embodiment provides a direct oxidation fuel cell, comprising an electrically conductive porous transport structure, comprising a porous body, and an impermeable layer in contact with the porous body; wherein the direct oxidation fuel cell achieves a net water transport coefficient, α, of less than about 0.6 at an operation temperature ranging from about 60 to about 80° C.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.