High performance and eco-friendly chitosan hydrogel membrane electrolytes for direct borohydride fuel cells

By Choudhury, Nurul A.; Ma, Jia & Sahai, Yogeshwar
Published in Journal of Power Sources NULL 2012

Abstract

Novel, cost-effective, and environmentally benign polymer electrolyte membranes (PEMs) consisting of ionically cross-linked chitosan (CS) hydrogel is reported for direct borohydride fuel cells (DBFCs). The membranes have been prepared by ionic cross-linking of CS with sulfate and hydrogen phosphate salts of sodium. Use of Na2SO4 and Na2HPO4 as cross-linking agents in the preparation of ionically cross-linked CS hydrogel membrane electrolytes (ICCSHMEs) not only enhances cost-effectiveness but also environmental friendliness of fuel cell technologies. The DBFCs have been assembled with a composite of nickel and carbon-supported palladium as anode catalyst, carbon-supported platinum as cathode catalyst and ICCSHMEs as electrolytes-cum-separators. The DBFCs have been studied by using an aqueous alkaline solution of sodium borohydride as fuel in flowing mode using a peristaltic pump and oxygen as oxidant. A maximum peak power density of about 810 mW cm-2 has been achieved for the DBFC employing Na2HPO4-based ICCSHME and operating at a cell temperature of 70 °C.

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