Formic acid microfluidic fuel cell based on well-defined Pd nanocubes

Abstract

Microfluidic fuel cells (μFFC) are emerging as a promising solution for small-scale power demands. The T-shaped architecture of the μFFC promotes a laminar flow regimen between the catholyte and anolyte streams excluding the use of a membrane, this property allows a simplest design and the use of several micromachining techniques based on a lab-on-chip technologies. This work presents a combination of new materials and low cost fabrication processes to develop a light, small, flexible and environmental friendly device able to supply the energy demand of some portable devices. Well-defined and homogeneous Pd nanocubes which exhibited the (100) preferential crystallographic plane were supported on Vulcan carbon and used as anodic electrocatalyst in a novel and compact design of a SU-8 μFFC feeded with formic acid as fuel. The SU-8 photoresist properties and the organic microelectronic technology were important factors to reduce the dimensions of the μFFC structure. The results obtained from polarization and power density curves exhibited the highest power density (8.3 mW cm⁻²) reported in literature for direct formic acid μFFCs.