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A Fuel‐Flexible Alkaline Direct Liquid Fuel Cell
Author(s) -
Tran K.,
Nguyen T. Q.,
Bartrom A. M.,
Sadiki A.,
Haan J. L.
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
fuel cells
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.485
H-Index - 69
eISSN - 1615-6854
pISSN - 1615-6846
DOI - 10.1002/fuce.201300291
Subject(s) - potassium hydroxide , direct ethanol fuel cell , chemistry , alcohol fuel , ethylene glycol , alkaline fuel cell , anode , methanol , proton exchange membrane fuel cell , inorganic chemistry , nuclear chemistry , ion exchange , catalysis , electrode , ion , organic chemistry
We constructed a fuel‐flexible fuel cell consisting of an alkaline anion exchange membrane, palladium anode, and platinum cathode. When an alcohol fuel was used with potassium hydroxide added to the fuel stream and oxygen was the oxidant, the following maximum power densities were achieved at 60 °C: ethanol (128 mW cm −2 ), 1‐propanol (101 mW cm −2 ), 2‐propanol (40 mW cm −2 ), ethylene glycol (117 mW cm −2 ), glycerol (78 mW cm −2 ), and propylene glycol (75 mW cm −2 ). We also observed a maximum power density of 302 mW cm −2 when potassium formate was used as the fuel under the same conditions. However, when potassium hydroxide was removed from the fuel stream, the maximum power density with ethanol decreased to 9 mW cm −2 (using oxygen as oxidant), while with formate it only decreased to 120 mW cm −2 (using air as the oxidant). Variations in the performance of each fuel are discussed. This fuel‐flexible fuel cell configuration is promising for a number of alcohol fuels. It is especially promising with potassium formate, since it does not require hydroxide added to the fuel stream for efficient operation.