The impedance study of the anodic micro porous layer in a direct methanol fuel cell

A simple electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) measurement method to characterize the influence of microstructure on the direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) is proposed in this paper. The membrane electrode assembly (MEA) with and without the anodic micro porous layer (MPL) are evaluated respectively by EIS. The interaction of anode and cathode are online measured during the discharge regime of DMFC. By the separation of anode and cathode EIS, the effects of anodic MPL on the anode and cathode reaction are systematically discussed and analyzed in an operating DMFC. Moreover, the functions of anodic microstructure on the full cell impedance that correspond with the practical cell performance are interpreted reasonably.