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Improving the Energy Efficiency of Direct Formate Fuel Cells with a Pd/C-CeO2 Anode Catalyst and Anion Exchange Ionomer in the Catalyst Layer

Authors :
Andrea Pucci
Elisa Passaglia
Hamish A. Miller
Jacopo Ruggeri
Carlo Bartoli
Andrea Marchionni
Maria V. Pagliaro
Marco Bellini
Francesco Vizza
Source :
Energies (Basel) 11 (2018). doi:10.3390/en11020369, info:cnr-pdr/source/autori:Hamish Andrew Miller, Jacopo Ruggeri, Andrea Marchionni, Marco Bellini, Maria Vincenza Pagliaro, Carlo Bartoli, Andrea Pucci, Elisa Passaglia and Francesco Vizza/titolo:Improving the Energy Efficiency of Direct Formate Fuel Cells with a Pd%2FC-CeO2 Anode Catalyst and Anion Exchange Ionomer in the Catalyst Layer./doi:10.3390%2Fen11020369/rivista:Energies (Basel)/anno:2018/pagina_da:/pagina_a:/intervallo_pagine:/volume:11, Energies; Volume 11; Issue 2; Pages: 369, Energies, Vol 11, Iss 2, p 369 (2018)
Publication Year :
2018
Publisher :
MDPI AG, 2018.

Abstract

This article describes the development of a high power density Direct Formate Fuel Cell (DFFC) fed with potassium formate (KCOOH). The membrane electrode assembly (MEA) contains no platinum metal. The cathode catalyst is FeCo/C combined with a commercial anion exchange membrane (AEM). To enhance the power output and energy efficiency we have employed a nanostructured Pd/C-CeO2 anode catalyst. The activity for the formate oxidation reaction (FOR) is enhanced when compared to a Pd/C catalyst with the same Pd loading. Fuel cell tests at 60 °C show a peak power density of almost 250 mW cm−2. The discharge energy (14 kJ), faradic efficiency (89%) and energy efficiency (46%) were determined for a single fuel charge (30 mL of 4 M KCOOH and 4 M KOH). Energy analysis demonstrates that removal of the expensive KOH electrolyte is essential for the future development of these devices. To compensate we apply for the first time a polymeric ionomer in the catalyst layer of the anode electrode. A homopolymer is synthesized by the radical polymerization of vinyl benzene chloride followed by amination with 1,4-diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octane (DABCO). The energy delivered, energy efficiency and fuel consumption efficiency of DFFCs fed with 4 M KCOOH are doubled with the use of the ionomer.

Details

ISSN :
19961073
Volume :
11
Database :
OpenAIRE
Journal :
Energies
Accession number :
edsair.doi.dedup.....c7a917157a906b197cc7e323e9a5b496