Autothermal catalytic Micromembrane Devices for Portable High-purity Hydrogen Generation

The high efficiency and energy density of miniaturized fuel cells provide an attractive alternative to batteries in the portablepower-generation market for consumer and military electronic devices [1-3]. The best fuel cell efficiency is typically achieved with hydrogen, but safety and reliability issues remain with current storage options. Consequently, there is continued interest in reforming of liquid fuels to hydrogen. The process typically involves high-temperature reforming of fuel to hydrogen combined with a low-temperature PEM fuel cell, which implies significant thermal loss. Owing to its high hydrogen content (66%) and ease of storage and handling, methanol is an attractive fuel. However, partial oxidation of methanol also generates CO, which can poison the fuel cell catalyst [1].