Hydrazine fuel cell

A.P. Anthony, Tire Hydrazine Fuel Cell System, in Fuel Cells, HIChE, NY (1963) pp 22-31 24) Th. Kauffmann, AngewChemlntern-Ed (Engl) 3, 342 (1964) AngewChem 76, 206... 

Hydrazine is also very active electrochemically and yields fuel cells with a high performance. However, apart from its high cost, hydrazine has another large defect it is highly toxic. Therefore, the uses of hydrazine fuel cells have been limited to a few special areas (chiefly for the military). 

For a direct hydrazine fuel cell, anion conductive aromatic multi-block copolymers, PAES with quaternized ammonio-substituted fluorene groups have been described [118]. The ammonio groups can be selectively introduced onto the fluorene-containing units. 

Another notable electrocatalytic reaction where surface oxides take part is the electrooxidation of hydrazine (N2H4). The use of hydrazine as a fuel in the direct hydrazine fuel cell has attracted research interest because the hydrazine/02 fuel cell exhibits a high open circuit potential of 1.61 V (as opposed to 1.23 V in H2/O2 fuel cell) and its theoretical energy-conversion efficiency (AG/AH) is 100 % (as opposed to 83 % in H2/O2 fuel cell) [85]. The electrooxidation of hydrazine occurs via a 4-electron oxidatirm process yielding molecular N2 [86] ... 

Asazawa K, Yamada K, Tanaka H, Oka A, Taniguchi M, Kobayashi T (2007) A platinum-free zero-carbon-emission easy fuelling direct hydrazine fuel cell for vehicles. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 46 8024-8027... 

Serov A, Kwak C (2010) Direct hydrazine fuel cells a review. Appl Catal B Environ 98 1-9. doi 10.1016/j.apcatb.2010.05.005... 

In practice, the suitability of a reaction system is determined by the kinetics of the reaction, which depends on temperature, pressure of gases, electrode polarization, surface area of electrodes, and presence of a catalyst. A fuel cell that is thermodynamically and kinetically feasible must be considered from an econonuc viewpoint before it is accepted. Thus, since hydrogen, hydrazine, and methanol are too expensive for general application, their use in fuel cells has been limited to special cases. Hydrogen has been used for fuel cells in satellites and space vehicles, in which reliability and lightness are more important than cost. Hydrazine fuel cells have been used in portable-radio power supplies for the United States Army because of their truly silent operation. Methanol fuel cells have been used to power navigation buoys and remote alpine television repeater stations because such power systems are comparatively free from maintenance problems over periods of a year or more. The polarization at the electrodes of a fuel cell is the most important single factor that limits the usefulness of the cell. The various polarization characteristics for a typical fuel cell are plotted separately as a function of current density in Fig. 9.11. 

Figure 6.1 Karl Kordesch rides his hydrazine fuel cell motorcycle, 1967. (From Smitho-nian Institution, neg. EMP059006, from the Science Swvice Historical Images Collection, courtesy of Union Carbide Corp.)...

Jasinski R., Catalysts for Hydrazine Fuel Cell Anodes, Res. Div., Allis Chalmers, July 1963 cited from Vielstich W., Brennstoffelemente, Verlag Chemie, Weinheim, Germany, 1965, See. 4.3.2.2. 

State-of-the-art DMFCs have not been considered for use in vehicles, except small vehicles, because of the lower efficiency and power density. In addition, a carbon-free fuel would be preferable for use in FC-powered vehicles. Alternative fuels, oxidation catalysts, reaction medium, electrolyte membranes, and electrode preparation have been evaluated to obtain optimal DLFCs. L-Ascorbic acid (AA), widely known as vitamin C, has been proposed as a novel fuel that does not require the use of an anode catalyst metal. DLFCs that use ethanol and D-glucose as renewable biofuels have been studied and developed using an anion exchange membrane (AEM). Hydrazine fuel cells were reconsidered for use in transportation based on the application of recent PEMFC technology. A novel anode catalyst for NaBILj oxidation is also described. 

Yamada, K., Asazawa, K., Yasuda, K., loroi, T., Tanaka, H., Miyazaki, Y., Kobayashi, T. (2003) Investigation of PEM type direct hydrazine fuel cell. Journal of Power Sources, 115, 236-242. 

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