In Situ Fourier Transform Infrared‐Diffuse Reflection Spectroscopy of Direct Methanol Fuel Cell Anodes and Cathodes

In situ Fourier transform infrared-diffuse reflection spectroscopy (FTIR-DRS) was used to study both the adsorbed and desorbed species produced on high surface area anodes and cathodes of direct methanol/oxygen fuel cells. The authors investigated platinum-ruthenium and platinum black as anodes. The cathodes studied were platinum black. The primary product detected on both Pt-black and Pt-Ru anodes at low methanol/water vapor ratios (P{sub methanol}: 15.2 kPa) was CO{sub 2}. Consistent with previous work, CO adsorption is more prevalent on Pt-black than on Pt-RU. In addition to CO and CO{sub 2}, vibrational modes due to formic acid, methylformate, and formaldehyde are detected by FTIR-DRS under potentiostatic control. At higher methanol/water vapor ratios (P{sub methanol}: 38.0 kPa) and low potentials (0.10 to 0.50 V), formaldehyde is the only product at the Pt-Ru anode. Methylformate and formic acid vibrational modes appear at potentials from 0.60 to 0.80 V. CO{sub 2} and methanol are observed at open circuit on the cathode side as a result of methanol permeation from the anode to the cathode region. CO{sub 2} increases in the cathode region with increasing anode potential.