Fuel Cells (methanol / H2)

EEYORE, Thu Aug 17 2006, 01:51PM

Hello all,
I decided my old thread was becoming more of a "projects" thread, so I am continuing on here. Once I get ahold of someones camera (GF will be home next week) I will flood you guys with all my pics!

So far, I beleive I have created a crude fuel cell(No platinum)
Details of the crude fuel cell:
2 carbon electrodes from a dollar store 6volt battery.
Some drano crystals(All sortsa rotten stuff in there, with about 40% being NaOH)

Once the drano stuff quiets down(reactions being once dissolved in water), I place the electrodes into the container. To produce some H2 gas, I briefly hookup a 9 volt battery to the electrodes. Now the electrodes are covered in little bubbles.

The battery is removed and the DMM measures voltage around 1.5 volts quickly dropping on down to .5volts, and then I get bored and remove the DMM(Im used to tesla coils, high voltage!)
Since DMMs are boring, i made a "joule thief" and connected it to the electrodes. Voila! Brighly lights and LED for about 30 seconds!

Things to come shorty:
I will be wrapping thin platinum wire around the electrodes in a spiral fashion.
Use reagent grade KOH instead of this nasty Drano crap.
Add in methanol.
Use a germanium transistor in the joule thief so that I can use even lower voltages.
Hoping the super thin platinum wire will be enough to significantly catalyse the methanol.
If all this is a resounding success, I will move on to make the contraption "camera friendly". smile

Since I couldnt help myself, I bought a basic reversible PEM fuel cell from thefuelcell store for 39$. While the guy said methanol can be used (3% concentration only), I am not sure whether I trust him ,as he is very stingy with information!
For this fuel cell, I will need a way to store its gas. I have no idea how to "nicely" store H2 gas and oxygen. I was thinking two large plastic syringes?Each plunger fully depressed to being with, and im hoping the fuel cells hydrogen and oxygen output will be enough to move the plunger back as it fills it. How does this idea sound?
As for the power for the cell in electrolyzer mode, I will use a solar cell array totalling 2 volts, 250mA to run the fuel cell in reverse.

Matt