Free energy in chemical reactions

To apply the preceding concepts of chemical thermodynamics to chemical reaction systems (and to understand how thermodynamic variables such as free energy vary with concentrations of species), we have to develop a formalism for the dependence of free energies and chemical potential on the number of particles in a system. We develop expressions for the change in Helmholtz and Gibbs free energies in chemical reactions based on the definition of A and G in terms of Q and Z. The quantities Q and Z are called the partition functions for the NVT and NPT systems, respectively. 

Fuel cell is a device to convert Gibbs free energy in chemical reaction into electricity through electrochemical cell reactions. In an H2-O2 fuel cell, electricity is obtained through formation of water from O2 and H2. When an acidic electrolyte is used, electrochemical oxidation of H2 to e and H" occurs at an anode and reduction of O2 with e and to H2O occurs at a cathode. The net reaction is formation of water from H2 and O2. In other words, catalytic reaction of water formation can be decomposed to two electrochemical reactions at an anode and cathode. This principle indicates that catalytic oxidation and reduction in chemical synthesis can convert fuel cell reactions at an anode and cathode. For example, the Wacker oxidation of ethylene to acetaldehyde with O2 would be able to perform using fuel cell reactions. 

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