Patent ID: 6818341
Filing Date: 2004-11-16
Classification: B01J,H01M,Y02E

Abstract:
A PEM fuel cell usable in a reformate fuel stream containing diluted hydrogen fuel with CO as an impurity and with added air, comprising:a polymer electrolyte membrane having an electrocatalytic surface formed from an electrocatalyst mixed with the polymer and bonded on an anode side of the membrane; and an anode backing formed of a porous electrically conductive material and having a first surface abutting the electrocatalytic surface and a second surface facing away from the membrane, where the second surface has an oxidation catalyst layer effective to catalyze the oxidation of CO by oxygen present in the fuel stream where at least the layer of oxidation catalyst consists essentially of a non-precious metal oxidation catalyst selected from the group consisting of Cu, Fe, Co, Tb, W, Mo, Sn, and oxides thereof.