The optimization performance of cross‐linked sodium alginate polymer electrolyte bio‐membranes in passive direct methanol/ethanol fuel cells

Abstract

Summary Consumption of methanol and ethanol as a fuel in the passive direct fuel cells technologies is suitable and more useful for the portable application compared with hydrogen as a preliminary fuel due to the ease of management, including design of cell, transportation, and storage. However, the cost production of commercial membrane is still far from the acceptable commercialization stage. Based to our previous works, the low cost of cross‐linked sodium alginate (SA) polymer electrolyte bio‐membrane shown the virtuous chemical, mechanical, and thermal characterization as polymer electrolyte membrane in the direct methanol fuel cells (DMFCs). This study will further the investigation of cross‐linked SA polymer electrolyte bio‐membrane performance in the passive DMFCs and the passive direct ethanol fuel cells (DEFCs). The experimental study investigates the influence of the membrane thickness, loading of catalysts, temperature, type of fuel, and fuel concentration in order to achieve the optimal working operation performances. The passive DMFCs is improved from 1.45 up to 13.5 mW cm−2 for the maximum peak of power density, which is obtained by using 0.16 mm as an optimum thick of SA bio‐membrane that shown the highest selectivity 6.31 104 S s cm−3, 4 mg cm−2 of Pt‐Ru as an optimum of anode catalyst loading, 2 mg cm−2 of Pt at the cathode, 2M of methanol as an optimum fuel concentration, and an optimum temperature at 90°C. Under the same conditions of cells, the passive DEFCs are shown to be 10.2 mW cm−2 in the maximum peak of power density with 2M ethanol. Based on our knowledge, this is the first work that reports the optimization works of performance SA‐based membrane in the passive DMFCs via experimental studies of single cells and the primary performance of passive DEFCs using the SA‐based membrane as polymer electrolyte membrane.

Carbon and graphene quantum dots in fuel cell application: An overview

“…Figure 18 represents an overview of the ionic nanochannels built into the SPEEK/sGNR‐sGQD membranes. High numbers of ionic nanochannels have a positive impact on proton conductivity due to the presence of acidic groups and effectively inhibit the methanol molecule 169‐172,187,188 …”

“…High numbers of ionic nanochannels have a positive impact on proton conductivity due to the presence of acidic groups and effectively inhibit the methanol molecule. [169][170][171][172]187,188 Colak et al 189 developed an economical catalyst with the presence of various mono-metallic and bi-metallic nanoparticles such as PtNPs, palladium nanoparticles (PdNPs) which growth on polyoxometalate (NaPWO)functionalized GQDs. The best performance was shown by the Pt-PdNPs/NaPWO/GQDs, which have optimum current density compared two other PdNPs/NaPWO/ GQDs and PtNPs/NaPWO/GQDs, respectively.…”

A review of quaternized polyvinyl alcohol as an alternative polymeric membrane in DMFCs and DEFCs

“…The classifications of fuel cell technologies are based on various parameters such as operating temperature, pressure condition, the structure of stacks cell, types of electrolyte applied, types of ion or proton exchanges, types of fuel consumption, and so on . Commonly, the types of fuel usage are used to distinguish the types of fuel cell technologies such as direct alcohol fuel cells (DAFCs) are directly used alcohol in producing electricity . Methanol and ethanol are pioneer fuels applied in fuel cell technologies for DAFCs .…”

The potential of novel carbon nanocages as a carbon support for an enhanced methanol electro‐oxidation reaction in a direct methanol fuel cell

“…[3][4][5] In DMFCs, methanol is used as a liquid fuel cell that has a high energy density (5.6 kWh/g) and is easy to handle, transfer and store, making it suitable as a portable power supply. 6,7 With developing technologies, DMFCs have shown 5 to 10 times greater energy density than rechargeable batteries and have a longer operating time and less cost than alternative battery technologies. 8 Moreover, hybrid DMFC systems such as vapor-fed, low-temperature DMFCs are another good option with a complete fuel conversion and energy efficiency of up to 30%.…”

“…Direct methanol fuel cells (DMFCs) have long been considered an attractive and promising power source for numerous applications, such as electronic and electrical portables 3‐5 . In DMFCs, methanol is used as a liquid fuel cell that has a high energy density (5.6 kWh/g) and is easy to handle, transfer and store, making it suitable as a portable power supply 6,7 . With developing technologies, DMFCs have shown 5 to 10 times greater energy density than rechargeable batteries and have a longer operating time and less cost than alternative battery technologies 8 .…”