Manipulation of Electrode Composition for Effective Water Management in Fuel Cells Fed with an Electrically Rechargeable Liquid Fuel

Abstract

The liquid fuel cell, with its high energy density and ease of fuel handling, has attracted great attention worldwide. However, its real application is still being greatly hindered by its limited power density. Hence, the recently proposed and demonstrated fuel cell, using an electrically rechargeable liquid fuel (e-fuel), is believed to be a candidate with great potential due to its significant performance advancement. Unlike the conventional alcoholic liquid fuels, the e-fuel possesses excellent reactivity, even on carbon-based materials, which therefore allows the e-fuel cell to achieve superior performance without any noble metal catalysts. However, it is found that, during the cell operation, the water generated at the cathode following the oxygen reduction reaction could lead to a water flooding problem and further limit the cell performance. To address this issue, in this work, by manipulating the cathode composition, a blended binder cathode using both Nafion and polytetrafluoroethylene as binding agents is fabricated and demonstrated its superiority in the fuel cell to achieve an enhanced water management and cell performance. Furthermore, using the developed cathode, a fuel cell stack is designed and fabricated to power a 3D-printed toy car, presenting this system as a promising device feasible for future study and real applications.

Strain-Induced Porous Pd@PdPt Core/Shell Nanocubes as Effective All-in-One Electrocatalysts toward Multialcohol Oxidation

“…Searching for sustainable and renewable energy to replace traditional fossil fuels has become particularly important to resolve the environmental crisis. − Liquid organic fuel cell is an ideal concept for future electronic product development, which has several advantages of a simple structure, high efficiency, low working temperature, environmental protection, no pollution, and renewable energy. − In this regard, direct alcohol fuel cells (DAFCs) are considered to be one of the most effective strategies . DAFC is a device that can effectively convert the chemical energy of alcohol fuels into electric energy, which has a high conversion efficiency, high energy density, renewable energy, low emission, low operating temperature, easy transportability, and portable application. − − By far, platinum-group nanomaterials are still the most effective anodic catalysts for direct alcohol oxidation although some transition metals have been developed. − However, the high price and relative scarcity of noble metals have greatly hindered industrial development. , In addition, the adsorption energy of CO is so strong that the active sites on the surface of monometallic Pt are easily poisoned by CO-related intermediates.…”