Woodhead Publishing Polymer Electrolyte Membrane and Direct Methanol Fuel Cell Technology: Volume 2: In Situ Characterization Techniques for Low Temperature Fuel Cells (Woodhead Publishing Series in Energy)

PEMFCs and DMFCs represent promising low-temperature electrochemical power generation technologies that operate on hydrogen and methanol respectively. These technologies have attracted intense worldwide commercialisation research and development efforts with a large element of these efforts directed at materials developments for fuel cell durability and long term operation. This two volume set presents a comprehensive and detailed review of the fundamentals, performance, and in situ characterisation of PEMFCs and DMFCs. Volume 2 reviews advanced in situ spectroscopic methods for fuel cell characterisation, applicable to the investigation of reaction kinetics and processes, water and fuel management, and local performance. Key Features: details in situ characterisation of polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) and direct methanol fuel cells (DMFCs), including the experimental and innovative techniques used to understand fuel cell operational issues and materials performance; examines enhanced techniques for characterisation of catalyst activities and processes, such as X-ray absorption and scattering, advanced microscopy and electrochemical mass spectrometry; reviews characterisation techniques for water and fuel management, including neutron radiography and tomography, and comprehensively covers locally resolved characterisation methods, from transient techniques to laser-optical methods. Contents: Part 1 Advanced characterisation techniques for polymer electrolyte membrane and direct methanol fuel cells: Extended X-ray absorption structure (EXAFS) technique for low temperature fuel cell characterisation; Advanced microscopy techniques for the characterisation of polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell components; Differential electrochemical mass spectrometry (DEMS) technique for direct alcohol fuel cell characterisation; Small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) techniques for polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell characterisation; X-ray absorption near edge structure ( µ XANES) techniques for low temperature fuel cell characterisation. Part 2 Characterisation of water and fuel management in polymer electrolyte membrane and direct methanol fuel cells: Characterisation and modelling of interfaces in polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells; Neutron radiography for high-resolution studies in low temperature fuel cells; Neutron radiography for the investigation of reaction patterns in direct methanol fuel cells; Neutron tomography for polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell characterisation; Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques for polymer electrolyte membrane and direct alcohol fuel cell characterisation; Raman spectroscopy for polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell characterisation. Part 3 Locally resolved methods for polymer electrolyte membrane and direct methanol fuel cell characterisation: Submillimeter resolved transient techniques for polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell characterisation: local in situ diagnostics for channel and land areas; Scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM) in proton exchange membrane fuel cell research and development; Laser-optical methods for transport studies in low temperature fuel cells; Synchrotron radiography for high resolution transport and materials studies of low temperature fuel cells.