The Pt-Ru/Carbon as an anode catalyst supported on the commercial activated carbon (AC) having high surface area and micropore was characterized for application of Direct Methanol Fuel Cell (DMFC). The Pt-Ru/AC anode catalyst used in this experiment showed the performance of 600 mA/cm2 current density at 0.3 V. The borohydride reduction process using NaBH4, denoted as a process A, showed much higher current and power densities than process B prepared by changing the reduction and washing process of process A. The particle sizes are strongly affected by the reduction process than the specific surface area of raw active carbon and the sizes are almost constant when the specific surface area of carbon are over than the 1200 m2/g. Smaller particle size of catalyst and more narrow intercrystalite distance increased the performance of DMFC.

Performance of direct methanol fuel cell using high porous active carbon as an uncatalysed diffusion layer in anode (composite electrode) has been evaluated. Effects of porous active carbon in anode were investigated by galvanostatic method and Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy. The single cell was operated with 2.5 M methanol at temperature of 80-120℃ and showed performance of 210-510 mA/cm2 at 0.4V. By replacing conventional electrode with composite electrode, the increment of 290 mA/cm2 in current density was obtained at 90℃and 0.4V. The potential decay of the single cell was about 14.5% for 20 days operation.