Ambient Temperature Operation of a Platinum-Free Direct Formate Fuel Cell

作者：Nguyen Tien Q; Minami Daniel; Hua Chau; Miller Austin; Tran Kevin; Haan John L^*

来源：Journal of Fuel Cell Science and Technology, 2015, 12(1): 014501.

DOI：10.1115/1.4029072

• potassium formate
• formate oxidation
• alkaline fuel cell
• alkaline anion exchange membrane
• palladium catalyst

Several reports have been made recently of the direct formate fuel cell (DFFC) operating at high-temperature and using Pt cathode catalyst. In the present work, we demonstrate a Pt-free DFFC employing ACTA Hypermec (TM) 4020 Fe-Co second-generation cathode catalyst operating at low-temperature. We report a maximum power density (PD) of 45 mW cm(-2) at ambient temperature (20 degrees C), when the fuel stream was 1 M HCOOK and 2 M KOH with oxygen used at the cathode. When air was used at the cathode, the maximum PD was 35 mW cm(-2). When hydroxide was removed from the fuel stream and oxygen used at the cathode, the maximum PD at 20 degrees C was 18 mW cm(-2). This low-temperature, KOH-free operation is important to development of a practical DFFC.

• 出版日期2015-2