Membrane electrode assembly for organic/air fuel cells

A process for producing a membrane electrode assembly for an organic/air fuel cell, comprising

• (a) providing a proton exchange membrane made of a highly fluorinated ion-exchange polymer, said membrane having opposite first and second sides;
• b) forming an anode electrode adjacent said first side of the membrane, said anode electrode comprised of 50 to 90 wt % of an anode electrocatalyst and 10 to 50 wt % of a highly fluorinated ion-exchange polymer binder, said anode electrocatalyst being comprised of an anode metal supported on carbon, wherein the anode metal is comprised of platinum and ruthenium and the carbon is particulate carbon, said anode electrocatalyst being comprised of at least 40 wt % platinum, at least 15 wt % ruthenium, and 15 to 50 wt % particulate carbon wherein the total loading of the anode metal in the anode electrode is less than 3 mg/cm2;
• and
• (c) forming a cathode electrode adjacent said second side of the membrane, said cathode electrode comprised of 50 to 90 wt % of a cathode electrocatalyst and 10 to 50 wt % of a highly fluorinated ion-exchange polymer binder, said cathode electrocatalyst being comprised of a cathode metal supported on carbon, wherein the cathode metal is comprised of platinum and the carbon is particulate carbon, said cathode electrocatalyst being comprised of at least 50 wt % platinum and 15 to 50 wt % particulate carbon wherein the total loading of the cathode metal in the cathode electrode is less than 3 mg/cm2.

A process for operating a membrane electrode assembly of an organic/air fuel cell, comprising

• (a) providing a proton exchange membrane made of a highly fluorinated ion-exchange polymer, said membrane having opposite first and second sides;
• (b) forming an anode electrode adjacent said first side of the membrane, said anode electrode comprised of 50 to 90 wt % of an anode electrocatalyst and 20 to 50 wt % of a highly fluorinated ion-exchange polymer binder, said anode electrocatalyst being comprised of an anode metal supported on carbon, wherein the anode metal is comprised of platinum and ruthenium and the carbon is particulate carbon, said anode electrocatalyst being comprised of at least 40 wt % platinum, at least 15 wt % ruthenium, and 15 to 50 wt % particulate carbon wherein the total loading of the anode metal in the anode electrode is less than 3 mg/cm2;
• (c) forming a cathode electrode adjacent said second side of the membrane, said cathode electrode comprised of 50 to 90 wt % of a cathode electrocatalyst and 15 to 50 wt % of a highly fluorinated ion-exchange polymer binder, said cathode electrocatalyst being comprised of a cathode metal supported on carbon, wherein the cathode metal is comprised of platinum and the carbon is particulate carbon, said cathode electrocatalyst being comprised of at least 50 wt % platinum and 15 to 50 wt % particulate carbon wherein the total loading of the cathode metal in the cathode electrode is less than 3 mg/cm2,
• (d) forming an electric circuit between the anode and cathode electrodes, and
• (e) feeding a liquid organic fuel to the anode electrode and oxygen to the cathode electrode so as to generate an electric current in said electric circuit.