Sanyo Special Steel Triples the Output Power Density of DMFC

Sanyo Special Steel Co., Ltd., in cooperation with Associate Professor Toshio Shudo (Hokkaido University), has succeeded in tripling the output power density of the DMFC. 134 mW/cm2 is the output power density of the DMFC.
This figure sufficiently exceeds 100 mW/cm2, which is the temporary target figure set by NEDO.
This figure was achieved by use of a unique separator structure.
As known, the conventional separator uses grooves for the passages for fluid flow.
The company's separator uses a porous body for the passages for fluid flow.
Spherical stainless powder having the particle diameter of about 0.1 mm was applied to a separator substrate and sintered into a unit body as a separator.
Fluid, e.g., hydrogen, passes through a large number of perforations formed in the sintered body. The new separator has many advantages of uniform fluid supply, improved reaction efficiency, excellent separator conductivity, and increased current. The separator is also applicable to the PEFC, as a matter of course.
Prof. Shudo will present the new separator technology at the 28th HESS Conference Lecture Meeting (Dec. 11 and 12, 2008, Tokyo; click here).
The DMFC incorporating the new separator will be exhibited at FC EXPO 2009 (Feb. 25 to 27, 2009, Tokyo Big Sight).
Source: News release from SANYO SPECIAL STEEL