Direct methanol fuel cell
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Direct methanol fuel cells or DMFCs are a subcategory of proton-exchange fuel cells in which methanol is used as the fuel. Their main advantage is the ease of transport of methanol, an energy-dense yet reasonably stable liquid at all environmental conditions.
Whilst the thermodynamic theoretical energy conversion efficiency of a DMFC is 97%;[1] the currently achievable energy conversion efficiency for operational cells attains 30%[2] – 40%.[3] There is intensive research on promising approaches to increase the operational efficiency.[4]
A more efficient version of a direct fuel cell would play a key role in the theoretical use of methanol as a general energy transport medium, in the hypothesized methanol economy.