Direct alcohol fuel cells ethylene glycol

In recent decades, direct alcohol fuel cells (DAFCs) have been extensively studied and considered as possible power sources for portable electronic devices and vehicles in the near future. The application of methanol is limited due to its high volatility and toxicity, although it is relatively easily oxidized to CO2 and protons. So other short chain organic chemicals especially ethanol, ethylene glycol, propanol, and dimethyl... 

Reviews on DEFC become available since 2006, describing the state of the art of catalysts for ethanol oxidation [31, 76, 77], while more recent works focused oti alkaline DEFC [78-80]. A comprehensive review on alkaline direct alcohol fuel cells was recently published by one of us [30] over viewing catalysts, membranes and cell performance of ADAFC fuelled with methanol, ethanol, and ethylene glycol. 

Considering all the types of Direct Alcohol Fuel Cells (DAFC) currently in development, that using methanol (DMFC) is closer to massive commercialization. DMFC exhibits higher current and power densities than fuel cells using ethanol, ethylene glycol, etc., mainly due to the difficulty for breaking the C-C bonds of higher alcohols. For this reason this Chapter will be mainly devoted to review the applications of DMFC. 

Abstract The faster kinetics of the alcohol oxidation reaction in alkaline direct alcohol fuel cells (ADAFCs), opening up the possibility of using less expensive metal catalysts, as silver, nickel, and palladium, makes the alkaline direct alcohol fuel cell a potentially low-cost technology compared to acid direct alcohol fuel cell technology, which employs platinum catalysts. In this work an overview of catalysts for ADAFCs, and of testing of ADAFCs, fuelled with methanol, ethanol, and ethylene glycol, formed by these materials, is presented. 

In this work an overview of anode catalysts for alkaline direct alcohol fuel cells, and reports of the testing of these materials in alkaline direct alcohol fuel cells fuelled with Ci (methanol) and C2 (ethanol and ethylene glycol) alcohols, is presented. 

Matsuoka et al. [8] tested ADAFCs formed by Pt-Ru/C as anode catalyst, Pt/C or Ag/C as cathode catalyst, and the AHA membrane by Tokuyama Co. The cells operated at 50 °C and were fuelled with four polyhydric alcohols and methanol for comparison. These alcohols (1 M) were dissolved in 1 M KOH aqueous solution. The maximum power densities were in the order of ethylene glycol > glycerol > methanol > erythritol > xylitol. The direct ethylene glycol fuel cell showed the highest power density. AlkaUne direct alcohol fuel cells using silver as a cathode catalyst showed good performance however, the open-circuit voltage of a cell with... 

In direct alcohol fuels cells (DAFCs), some simple organic molecules such as methanol, ethanol, formic acid, and ethylene glycol are used as alternative fuels. Besides the slow kinetics of ORR in the cathode, the slow alcohol oxidation reaction on Pt is another major contribution to low DAFC performance. 

Abstract In this chapter, we present new insights in direct alcohol fuel cell-related anode electrocatalysis based on quantitative differential electrochemical mass spectrometry (DEMS) studies. First, we review the history and development of the DEMS technique, as well as the calibration method for quantification. We then discuss some contributions of quantitative DEMS to the study of the mechanism of methanol electrooxidation on Pt and PtRu model catalysts. We also discuss quantitative DEMS studies of the mechanism of dissociative adsorption and electrooxidation of ethanol and acetaldehyde at Pt, Pt3Sn, PtRu, and PtRh nanoparticle catalysts. Finally, the mechanism of dissociative adsorption and electrooxidation of ethylene glycol and its oxidative derivatives on carbon-supported Pt, Pt3Sn, and PtRu nanoparticle catalysts are discussed, based on quantitative DEMS results. 

Other Fuel Cells Many other fuel cell systems exist, and new versions are constantly being developed. Many of these are simply existing fuel cell systems with a different fuel. For example, PEFCs based on a direct alcohol solution offer alternatives to DMFCs for portable power and include those based on formic acid [11], dimethyl ether [12], ethylene glycol, dimethyl oxalate, and other so-called direct alcohol fuel cells (DAFCs) [13, 14]. 

Fuels cells are of interest both from energetic and environmental considerations. When methanol is fed directly to an anode, as in Direct Methanol Fuel Cells , electric power is generated, making the devices suitable for small and lightweight uses [53], Alternative fuels such as polyhydric alcohols like ethylene glycol and glycerol are much less volatile and toxic, on the one hand, and electrochemically oxidizable on the other [54]. Therefore, the electrochemical oxidation of various polyhydric alcohols has been investigated in acidic as well as in alkaline conditions. 

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