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Electrochemical Oxidation of Carbon‐Containing Fuels and Their Dynamics in Low‐Temperature Fuel Cells
Author(s) -
Krewer Ulrike,
VidakovicKoch Tanja,
RihkoStruckmann Liisa
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
chemphyschem
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.016
H-Index - 140
eISSN - 1439-7641
pISSN - 1439-4235
DOI - 10.1002/cphc.201100095
Subject(s) - chemical energy , hydrogen fuel , energy carrier , carbon fibers , fossil fuel , hydrogen , anode , renewable fuels , chemical engineering , renewable energy , electrochemistry , energy storage , chemistry , direct ethanol fuel cell , materials science , catalysis , proton exchange membrane fuel cell , organic chemistry , electrode , thermodynamics , power (physics) , physics , electrical engineering , composite number , engineering , composite material
Fuel cells can convert the energy that is chemically stored in a compound into electrical energy with high efficiency. Hydrogen could be the first choice for chemical energy storage, but its utilization is limited due to storage and transport difficulties. Carbon‐containing fuels store chemical energy with significantly higher energy density, which makes them excellent energy carriers. The electro‐oxidation of carbon‐containing fuels without prior reforming is a more challenging and complex process than anodic hydrogen oxidation. The current understanding of the direct electro‐oxidation of carbon‐containing fuels in low‐temperature fuel cells is reviewed. Furthermore, this review covers various aspects of electro‐oxidation for carbon‐containing fuels in non‐steady‐state reaction conditions. Such dynamic investigations open possibilities to elucidate detailed reaction kinetics, to sense fuel concentration, or to diagnose the fuel‐cell state during operation. Motivated by the challenge to decrease the consumption of fossil fuel, the production routes of the fuels from renewable resources also are reviewed.