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Physically crosslinked KOH impregnated polyvinyl alcohol based alkaline membrane for direct methanol fuel cell
Author(s) -
Gupta Uday Kumar,
Pramanik Hiralal
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
the canadian journal of chemical engineering
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.404
H-Index - 67
eISSN - 1939-019X
pISSN - 0008-4034
DOI - 10.1002/cjce.23233
Subject(s) - electrolyte , anode , direct methanol fuel cell , polyvinyl alcohol , cathode , methanol , membrane , chemistry , membrane electrode assembly , direct ethanol fuel cell , chemical engineering , alkaline fuel cell , proton exchange membrane fuel cell , electrocatalyst , materials science , ionic conductivity , electrode , electrochemistry , organic chemistry , biochemistry , engineering
A polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) based alkaline membrane was developed in the laboratory for use in direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC). This study investigates the performance of the alkaline PVA membrane, crosslinked by a physical crosslinking method. The membrane was characterized using water uptake, KOH uptake, ion exchange capacity, and ionic conductivity methods. The anode and cathode electrocatalysts were Pt‐Ru (30:15 % by wt)/carbon black (C) and Pt (40 % by wt)/high surface area carbon (C HSA ), respectively. A similar electrocatalyst loading in the order of 1 mg/cm 2 was used at the anode and cathode. The cell voltage and current density data were recorded for different concentrations of fuel (methanol) and electrolyte (KOH). The optimum conditions for the fuel cell were 2 M methanol mixed in 3 M KOH solution at a flow rate of 2 mL/min with a cathode feed of humidified oxygen at a flow rate of 100 mL/min. The DMFC was operated at 30 °C, irrespective of other operating conditions. The maximum open circuit voltage of 0.6 V, current density of 7.71 mA/cm 2 at a cell voltage of 0.23 V, and maximum power density of 1.79 mW/cm 2 were obtained at the optimum cell condition. The KOH‐doped PVA solid electrolyte was successfully tested in a direct methanol fuel cell, which results in excellent power density. Single cell test results prove that the physically crosslinked KOH‐doped PVA electrolyte could be used as a suitable solid electrolyte in a fuel cell.