The sol-gel flux phase of direct methanol fuel cell is prepared by the modified sol-gel method with starting materials of Na2SiO3 or Si(OCH3)(4), methanol and sulfuric acid, and characterized by SEM. The methanol permeability and electrochemical characteristics of the sol-gel flux phase are investigated. The mass transportation mechanism and the process of methanol has been changed by the porous structure of the sol-gel flux phase. The methanol permeability of the sol-gel flux phase decreases more-than 90% compared with the liquid flux phase of 1 mol L-1 CH3OH and 1 mol L-1 H2SO4. A novel direct methanol fuel cell with sol-gel flux phase is designed. The power density of which is higher than that of the cell with liquid flux phase. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.