Open Competition 2 - Chemistry and Materials

Fabrication of Fuel Cells from Microcell Fibers

Sponsor: Microcell Corporation

• Project Performance Period: 11/1/2001 - 10/31/2004
• Total project (est.): $2,401,956.00
• Requested ATP funds: $1,997,923.00

Fuel cells, which cleanly convert chemical energy to electrical energy, are common in space and military systems but remain too costly and difficult to make for general uses such as stand-alone power for homes and businesses or for electric vehicles. Microcell Corp. plans to overcome the barriers to commodity applications by exploiting its patented "microcell" design concept, in which all components are fabricated within a fiber ranging from 500 to 1,000 micrometers in diameter, and the fibers (or microcells) are connected and packed together to make a fuel cell module. In a three-year project, the company will develop, demonstrate, and test 1-5 kilowatt (kW) fuel cells that offer a power density of at least 400 watts per liter, with an ultimate cost target below $100 per kW. In a microcell, gaseous or liquid fuel passes through a channel within the fiber. A critical inner current collector is encapsulated by a porous membrane separator, which contains an electrolyte in its pores. The inner and outer shell of the fiber is coated with an electrocatalyst. Microcells have the potential to be fabricated rapidly by extrusion, a process much faster than that used for conventional fuel cell manufacturing. Other unique features include a double-membrane design or configuration for "built-in" carbon-monoxide tolerance, and high power density due to a high ratio of surface area to volume. The company will evaluate fabrication methods for low-cost, corrosion-resistant conducting fibers; fabricate and test fuel-cell prototypes made from modular assemblies of microcell fibers; test and evaluate the fuel cells; integrate them into a system with a fuel processor and power conditioning unit; and optimize the system. North Carolina State University (Raleigh, N.C.) will provide technical expertise in electrochemistry. ATP funding is needed because the project is too risky to attract venture capital and at too early a stage for industrial investment. If successfully developed and commercialized, the new technology would be less costly than existing fuel cells while also offering higher power density, longer life, and ease of repair. These new microfiber-based fuel cells could open up large markets in stand-alone power for homes and businesses and eventually may power as many as 15 million vehicles per year. The project also could create new jobs and reduce the nation's dependence on foreign oil. Microcell fuel cells could be modified to run on fuels ranging from methanol to gas from landfills in addition to natural gas.

For project information:

Dr. Robert Koger, (919) 857-9014
bkoger@advancedenergy.org

ATP Project Manager

Richard Bartholomew, (301) 975-4786
richard.bartholomew@nist.gov