直接メタノール形燃料電池(DMFC)の燃料切れ運転による性能劣化に関する研究(熱工学,内燃機関,動力など)  [in Japanese] Analytical Study of Performance Degradation under Starved Operation in Direct Methanol Fuel Cell (DMFC)(Thermal Engineering)  [in Japanese]

In this study, characteristics of performance degradation caused by starved operation in one cell of a DMFC stack were investigated by comprehensive study based on the measurement of electro-chemical behavior of cell and gas analysis of CO_2 and O_2 emissions in anode off gas. As a result, it was made clear that the degradation appears as decay of catalyzer activity only in anode, which is attributed to corrosion of carbon used as anodic catalyst support. This carbon corrosion reaction is predicted to be triggered by O_2 which is generated in the anodic reaction of water electrolysis caused in potential reversal. Since the degradation was suppressed by the use of carbon free catalyst such as Pt-Ru-black, it is estimated that use of much more tough anti-corrosive material than Ketjen-black which is used in this study is effective to mitigate performance decay caused by methanol starved operation.