Effects of polymer electrolyte membrane's property on fuel cell performances

Platinum and/or metal‐oxide nanocrystals (d = 1 ‐ 2 nm) were highly dispersed in membranes such as a Nation® commercially available (denoted as Pt‐PEM or Pt‐oxide‐PEM) attempting to self‐humidify the PEMs and/or to suppress the short‐circuit reaction by a catalytic oxidation of the crossover hydrogen or methanol with oxygen on the Pt catalyst. High and stable performances under the suppressed crossover and lowered internal resistance are demonstrated at the H₂/O₂ fuel cells applied Pt‐PEM or Pt‐oxide‐PEM without any external humidification. An appreciable increase of the cathode potential due to the reduced methanol crossover was clearly demonstrated at a direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) with Pt‐PEM. It also becomes clear that the development of new PEMs with lowered permeability against methanol is essential for DMFCs.