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A Simple, Membrane-Free, Direct Glycerol Fuel Cell Utilizing a Precious Metal-Free Cathode and Gold-Plated Anode Surfaces

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  • Yi Jie Tseng

    (Natural Sciences Department, Brigham Young University–Hawaii, Laie, HI 96762-1294, USA)

  • Daniel Scott

    (Natural Sciences Department, Brigham Young University–Hawaii, Laie, HI 96762-1294, USA)

Abstract

As bio-diesel production continues around the world, the amount of low-grade glycerol, a byproduct from the process, in increasing, as is the demand for a simple, easy-to-make, fuel cell capable of running off glycerol and oxygen from the air. Despite the research that has already been done with glycerol fuel cells, the complexity of the fuel cell designs for such a simple fuel appears to be prohibitive toward the actualization of such a cell. Here the simplest of fuel cells, an alkaline, membrane-free, glycerol fuel cell with a non-platinum-containing MnO 2 cathode is explored. Glycerol oxidation is catalyzed on various surfaces including carbon felt, platinum, and silver-plated nickel with and without gold plating. The maximum power this glycerol fuel cell generates, with 1.4 M glycerol and 8.0 M KOH, is 1.27 mW cm −2 at 200 mV. It has an open circuit voltage of 704 mV. Additionally, the effects of different, gold-plated anodic surfaces, electrolytes and temperatures are also explored. This work demonstrates the feasibility of this simple, reusable robust cell design using pure and crude glycerol from bio-diesel production and preliminarily explores the products of this reaction.

Suggested Citation

  • Yi Jie Tseng & Daniel Scott, 2018. "A Simple, Membrane-Free, Direct Glycerol Fuel Cell Utilizing a Precious Metal-Free Cathode and Gold-Plated Anode Surfaces," Energies, MDPI, vol. 11(9), pages 1-14, August.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:11:y:2018:i:9:p:2259-:d:166228
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Kathleen Araújo & Devinder Mahajan & Ryan Kerr & Marcelo da Silva, 2017. "Global Biofuels at the Crossroads: An Overview of Technical, Policy, and Investment Complexities in the Sustainability of Biofuel Development," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 7(4), pages 1-22, March.
    2. Zhang, Na & Lior, Noam & Jin, Hongguang, 2011. "The energy situation and its sustainable development strategy in China," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 36(6), pages 3639-3649.
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