DIRECT ELECTROCHEMICAL POWER GENERATION FROM CARBON IN FUEL CELLS WITH MOLTEN HYDROXIDE ELECTROLYTE

Historically, despite its compelling cost and performance advantages, the use of a molten metal hydroxide electrolyte has been ignored by direct carbon fuel cell (DCFC) researchers, primarily due to the potential for formation of carbonate salt in the cell. This article describes the electrochemistry of a patented medium-temperature DCFC based on a molten hydroxide electrolyte, which overcomes the historical carbonate formation.

An important technique discovered for significantly reducing carbonate formation in the DCFC is to ensure a high water content of the electrolyte. To date, four successive generations of DCFC prototypes have been built and tested to demonstrate the technology - all using graphite rods as their fuel source. These cells all used a simple design in which the cell containers served as the air cathodes and successfully demonstrated the ability to deliver more than 40 A with the current density exceeding 250 mA/cm². Conversion efficiency greater than 60% was achieved.     

Mechanistic investigation into the electrolytic formation of iron from iron(III) oxide in molten sodium hydroxide

Iron(III) oxide tablets were electrolytically reduced to iron in molten sodium hydroxide at 530 °C and recovered to produce iron with 2 wt.% oxygen suitable for re-melting. The cell was operated at 1.7 V and an inert nickel anode was used. The thermodynamics and mechanism of the process was also investigated. By controlling the activity of sodium oxide in the melt, the cell could be operated below the decomposition voltage of the electrolyte with the net sequence of events being the ionization of oxygen, its subsequent transport to the anode and discharge leaving behind iron at the cathode. A reduction time of 1 h was achieved for a 1 g oxide tablet (close to the theoretical reduction time predicted by Faraday’s laws) at a current density of 520 mA cm⁻² with iron phase yields of ∼90 wt.%. The energy consumption was 2.8 kWh kg⁻¹.     

微生物燃料电池电极材料的最新研究进展

微生物燃料电池（microbial fuel cell;MFC）;是一种同步废水处理与产能的新技术——以微生物为催化剂降解废水中的有机物;将其中的化学能转化为电能。本文介绍了微生物燃料电池阳极和阴极材料以及电极催化剂的最新研究进展;讨论了提高微生物燃料电池性能的方法;即通过使用纳米材料修饰电极来提高微生物及催化剂的吸附面积、结合不同材料的优点制作复合材料做催化剂来克服单一材料的不足之处;以期研究和开发出高性能的微生物燃料电池;指出微生物燃料电池的应用前景是将微生物燃料电池与其它技术相耦合来提前实现它的实际应用。     

具扩张阳极及活性阴极的隔膜电解槽

介绍具有扩张阳极、活性阴极的隔膜电解槽的结构,并与普通铁丝网电解槽槽电压进行对比,说明采用该类电解槽是节电的最好途径。     

ML-211型复极式离子膜电解槽检修总结

介绍了ML-211型自然循环复极式离子膜电解槽的检修换膜过程,对出现的问题采取了相应的措施,保证了检修后的电解槽平稳高效运行。     

Carbon fiber paper for fuel cell electrode

Carbon fiber paper (CFP) has many advantages to be used for fuel cell electrode. In this presentation, CFP was prepared from pitch-based carbon fiber through impregnation with resin, molding, and heat-treatment. Effects of heat-treatment on the properties and structure of resultant CFP were studied by means of electrical and mechanical property measurement, X-ray diffraction, and SEM. The results showed that the electrical resistance and tensile strength were decreased at higher heat-treatment temperature, and d₀₀₂ became smaller, while L_a and L_c got larger. CFP with thickness of 0.3 mm, bulk density of 0.47 g/cm³ and specific resistance of 200 μΩ m was produced after heat-treatment at 2773 K.     

固体氧化物燃料电池材料的研究进展

固体氧化物燃料电池（SOFC）是当今一种先进的能量转换装置，具有能量转换效率高、环境友好、燃料适用性强和无腐蚀等突出优点。该电池通常用陶瓷作组装材料，操作温度为600－1000℃。详细介绍了固体氧化物燃料电池各元件的材料，包括Y2O3稳定化的ZrO2固体电解质，Ni/稳定化ZrO2阳极，掺杂的LaMnO3阴极以及掺杂的LaCrO3连接材料等。     

Nanotemplated platinum fuel cell catalysts and copper–tin lithium battery anode materials for microenergy devices

Nanotemplated materials have significant potential for applications in energy conversion and storage devices due to their unique physical properties. Nanostructured materials provide additional electrode surface area beneficial for energy conversion or storage applications with short path lengths for electronic and ionic transport and thus the possibility of higher reaction rates. We report on the use of controlled growth of metal and alloy electrodeposited templated nanostructures for energy applications. Anodic aluminium oxide templates fabricated on Si for energy materials integration with electronic devices and their use for fuel cell and battery materials deposition is discussed. Nanostructured Pt anode catalysts for methanol fuel cells are shown. Templated CuSn alloy anodes that possess high capacity retention with cycling for lithium microbattery integration are also presented.     

固体氧化物电解质燃料电池阴极研究的新进展

阴极（空气电极）是固体氧化物电解质燃料电池的关键部件之一.本文总结了近年来关于固体氧化物电解质燃料电池阴极的研究状况，包括材料的选择和制备、电极的制备和电化学性质的研究，提出了今后的研究重点．     

金属阳极电解槽新技术的开发与应用

介绍公司近几年金属阳极电解槽技术开发进展情况。     

Electro-catalysis of the Cu/carbon cathode for the reduction of O2 during fuel-cell reactions

To develop a new cathode without using Pt for a H₂/O₂ polymer-electrolyte-membrane-fuel-cell, we studied the possibility of using a Cu/carbon cathode for the reduction of O₂. The plan for development of the Cu/carbon cathode is: (i) formation of redox functional groups on carbon to promote electron-transfer reaction, (ii) deposition of phosphorous groups on carbon to promote proton diffusion and (iii) loading Cu on the modified carbon support. The electro-catalytic activity of the Cu/carbon cathode was not so excellent as that of the Pt/carbon cathode, but it was fairly good at lower P_(O2). To clarify the Cu function for the acceleration of the O₂ reduction, we characterized the Cu/carbon electro-catalyst with XRD, SEM and CV measurements. When the oxidation state of Cu was 2+ at higher cell voltages, the reduction of O₂ was accelerated. On the other hand, when metallic Cu was formed at lower cell voltages, the enhancing effect of Cu disappeared. The CV data strongly suggested that Cu²⁺ species functioned as an adsorption site of O₂, not as a redox mediator. On the basis of the experimental results, a suitable model of the reduction mechanism of O₂ over the Cu/carbon cathode was proposed.     

A parametric study of a platinum ruthenium anode in a direct borohydride fuel cell

Data on the performance of a direct borohydride fuel cell (DBFC) equipped with an anion exchange membrane, a Pt–Ru/C anode and a Pt/C cathode are reported. The effect of oxidant (air or oxygen), borohydride and electrolyte concentrations, temperature and anode solution flow rate is described. The DBFC gives power densities of 200 and 145 mW cm⁻² using ambient oxygen and air cathodes respectively at medium temperatures (60 °C). The performance of the DBFC is very good at low temperatures (ca. 30 °C) using modest catalyst loadings of 1 mg cm⁻² for anode and cathode. Preliminary data indicate that the cell will be stable over significant operating times.     

碳纳米管在能源领域的应用研究进展

碳纳米管作为一种新型的具有完整分子结构的碳材料,在结构上具有特殊的中空管状构型、良好的导电性、高比表面积、化学稳定性、适合电解质离子迁移的空隙、以及交互缠绕可形成纳米尺度的网络结构等优点,作为电极材料可以很好的提高电容器和燃料电池的功率特性、稳定性等多方面的性能。特殊的中空结构和高的比表面积也使其成为储氢材料方面具有很大的应用潜能。重点介绍了碳纳米管在储氢、超级电容器和燃料电池方面的应用和研究迚展。     

The efficiency of methanol conversion to CO2 on thin films of Pt and PtRu fuel cell catalysts

Yields were determined for the CO₂ produced upon the electrochemical oxidation of 1.0 M methanol in 0.1 M HClO₄ at the following four fuel cell catalyst systems: Pt black, Pt at 10 wt.% metal loading on Vulcan XC-72R carbon (C/Pt, 10%), PtRu black at 50 at.% Pt, 50 at.% Ru (PtRu (50:50) black), and PtRu at 30 wt.% Pt, 15 wt.% Ru loading on Vulcan XC-72R carbon (C/PtRu, 30 wt.% Pt, 15 wt.% Ru). Samples were electrolyzed in a small volume (50 μl) arrangement for a period of 180 s keeping the reactant depletion in the cell below 1%. The dissolved CO₂ produced was determined ex situ by infrared spectroscopy in a micro-volume transmission flow cell. For the PtRu materials, the efficiencies for CO₂ formation were near 100% at reaction potentials in the range between 0.4 V (versus the reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE), V_RHE ) and 0.9 V_RHE. At the Pt catalysts, the yields of CO₂ approached 80% between 0.8 and 1.1 V_RHE and declined rapidly below 0.8 V_RHE.     

中国铝用炭阳极市场供需状况的回顾与展望

分析了中国炼铝技术的进展与阳极炭块(铝用炭阳极)市场的发展与演变，计算了铝厂建设和铝生产对炭阳极的需求；根据中国阳极炭块的产量情况，指出市场竞争刺激优质阳极生产；预测未来中国铝生产和阳极炭块市场发展；对阳极生产发展中的一些问题提出思考意见。     

The influence of CO on the current density distribution of high temperature polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells

In this work the poisoning effect of carbon monoxide (CO) on the performance of high temperature polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cell is reported. The poisoning of the anode is assessed at 160 °C and 180 °C based on the transient behavior of the fuel cell potential and current density distribution. The current density distribution at similar cell potential and global current density is also critically compared for CO-free hydrogen feed and for CO-contaminated hydrogen feed. Furthermore, the current–cell potential (I–V) and power density curves and impedance spectra are obtained.The presence of CO causes a performance loss which is aggravated for higher CO concentrations and higher current densities and for lower temperatures. The transient behavior of the fuel cell potential and current density distribution show that the poisoning effect of carbon monoxide at the anode is very fast.The use of CO contaminated hydrogen at the anode yields an anisotropic distribution of carbon monoxide, which is accentuated for higher carbon monoxide concentrations and current densities.