Open AccessNovel materials for fuel cells operating on liquid fuels
Author(s) -
C. A. C. Sequeira,
David Cardoso,
Marta Martins,
Luís Amaral
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
aims energy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.294
H-Index - 9
eISSN - 2333-8334
pISSN - 2333-8326
DOI - 10.3934/energy.2017.3.458
Subject(s) - electrolyte , sodium borohydride , direct ethanol fuel cell , hydrogen fuel , chemical engineering , commercialization , hydrogen , materials science , proton exchange membrane fuel cell , methanol , catalysis , energy storage , hydrogen storage , alcohol fuel , process engineering , fuel cells , chemistry , electrode , organic chemistry , engineering , power (physics) , physics , quantum mechanics , political science , law
Towards commercialization of fuel cell products in the coming years, the fuel cell systems are being redefined by means of lowering costs of basic elements, such as electrolytes and membranes, electrode and catalyst materials, as well as of increasing power density and long-term stability. Among different kinds of fuel cells, low-temperature polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) are of major importance, but their problems related to hydrogen storage and distribution are forcing the development of liquid fuels such as methanol, ethanol, sodium borohydride and ammonia. In respect to hydrogen, methanol is cheaper, easier to handle, transport and store, and has a high theoretical energy density. The second most studied liquid fuel is ethanol, but it is necessary to note that the highest theoretically energy conversion efficiency should be reached in a cell operating on sodium borohydride alkaline solution. It is clear that proper solutions need to be developed, by using novel catalysts, namely nanostructured single phase and composite materials, oxidant enrichment technologies and catalytic activity increasing. In this paper these main directions will be considered