Progress and major BARRIERS of nanocatalyst development in direct methanol fuel cell: A review

Direct methanol fuel cells (DMFC), among the most suited and prospective alternatives for portable electronics, have lately been treated with nanotechnology. DMFCs may be able to remedy the energy security issue by having low operating temperatures, high conversion efficiencies, and minimal emission levels. Though, slow reaction kinetics are a significant restriction of DMFC, lowering efficiency and energy output. Nowadays, research is more focused on fundamental studies that are studying the factors that can improve the capacity and activity of catalysts. In DMFC, among the most widely explored catalysts are platinum and ruthenium which are enhanced in nature by the presence of supporting materials such as nanocarbons and metal oxides. As a result, this research sheds light on nanocatalyst development for DMFCs based on Platinum noble metal. To summarize, this research focuses on the structure of nanocatalysts, as well as support materials for nanocatalysts that can be 3D, 2D, 1D, or 0D. The support material described is made up of CNT, CNF, and CNW, which are the most extensively used because they improve the performance of catalysts in DMFCs. In addition, cost estimations for fuel cell technology are emphasized to show the technology's status and requirements. Finally, challenges to nanocatalyst development have been recognized, as well as future prospects, as recommendations for more innovative future research.     

Numerical study on laminar burning velocity of ammonia flame with methanol addition

The combustion characteristics of ammonia/methanol mixtures were investigated numerically in this study. Methanol has a dramatic promotive effect on the laminar burning velocity (LBV) of ammonia. Three mechanisms from literature and another four self-developed mechanisms constructed in this study were evaluated using the measured laminar burning velocities of ammonia/methanol mixtures from Wang et al. (Combust.Flame. 2021). Generally, none of the selected mechanisms can precisely predict the measured laminar burning velocities at all conditions. Aiming to develop a simplified and reliable mechanism for ammonia/methanol mixtures, the constructed mechanism utilized NUI Galway mechanism (Combust.Flame. 2016) as methanol sub-mechanism and the Otomo mechanism (Int. J. Hydrogen. Energy. 2018) as ammonia sub-mechanism was optimized and reduced. The reduced mechanism entitled ‘DNO-NH3’, can accurately reproduce the measured laminar burning velocities of ammonia/methanol mixtures under all conditions. A reaction path analysis of the ammonia/methanol mixtures based on the DNO-NH3 mechanism shows that methanol is not directly involved in ammonia oxidation, instead, the produced methyl radicals from methanol oxidization contribute to the dehydrogenation of ammonia. Besides, NO_x emission analysis demonstrates that 60% methanol addition results in the highest NO_x emissions. The most important reactions dominating the NO_x consumption and production are identified in this study.     

Numerical study of entropy generation in Darcy-Forchheimer (D-F) Bödewadt flow of CNTs

Three-dimensional Bödewadt flow (fluid rotates at a large enough distance from the stationary plate) of carbon nanomaterial is examined. Single walled and multi walled CNTs are dissolved in water and gasoline oil baseliquids. Darcy-Forchheimer porous medium is considered. Stationary disk is further stretched linearly in radial direction. Heat transfer effect is examined in presence of radiation and convection. Effect of viscous dissipation is accounted. Entropy generation rate is studied. By using adequate transformation (von Kármán relations), the flow field equations (PDEs) are transmitted into ODEs. Solutions to these ODEs are constructed via implementation of shooting method (bvp4c). In addition to Entropy generation rate, Bejan number, heat transfer rate (Nusselt number), skin friction and temperature of fluid are examined through involved physical parameters. Axial component of velocity intensifies with increment in nanoparticles volume fraction and ratio of stretching rate to angular velocity parameter while it decays with higher porosity parameter. Higher nanoparticles volume fraction and porosity parameter lead to decay in radial as well as tangential component of velocity. However it enhances with higher ratio of stretching rate to angular velocity parameter. Temperature of fluid directly varies with higher ratio of stretching rate to angular velocity parameter, radiation parameter, Eckert number, Biot number and nanoparticles volume fraction. Rate of Entropy generation is reduced with higher estimations of porosity parameter, nanoparticles volume fraction and radiation parameter. Skin friction coefficient decays with higher porosity parameter and ratio of stretching rate to angular velocity parameter. Intensification in porosity parameter, nanoparticles volume fraction and Biot number leads to higher Nusselt number. Prominent impact is shown by multiple-walled CNTs with gasoline oil basefluid than single-walled CNTs with water basefluid.     

Mechanism of methanol decomposition on the Pd/WC(0001) surface unveiled by first-principles calculations

In this study, the decomposition of methanol into the CO and H species on the Pd/tungsten carbide (WC)(0001) surface is systematically investigated using periodic density functional theory (DFT) calculations. The possible reaction pathways and intermediates are determined. The results reveal that saturated molecules, i.e., methanol and formaldehyde, adsorb weakly on the Pd/ WC(0001) surface. Both CO and H prefer three-fold sites, with adsorption energies of −1.51 and −2.67 eV, respectively. On the other hand, CH₃O stably binds at three-fold and bridge sites, with an adsorption energy of −2.58 eV. However, most of the other intermediates tend to adsorb to the surface with the carbon and oxygen atoms in their sp³ and hydroxyl-like configurations, respectively. Hence, the C atom of CH₂OH preferentially attaches to the top sites, CHOH and CH₂O adsorb at the bridge sites, while COH and CHO occupy the three-fold sites. The DFT calculations indicate that the rupture of the initial C–H bond promotes the decomposition of CH₃OH and CH₂OH, whereas in the case of CHOH, O–H bond scission is favored over the C–H bond rupture. Thus, the most probable methanol decomposition pathway on the Pd/WC(0001) surface is CH₃OH → CH₂OH → trans-CHOH → CHO → CO. The present study demonstrates that the synergistic effect of WC (as carrier) and Pd (as catalyst) alters the CH₃OH decomposition pathway and reduces the noble metal utilization.     

人工颅骨用复合材料中微量甲基丙烯酸甲酯的气相色谱法测定

采用氢气焰离子化检测器(FID),以正丁醇为外标物,PEG-20M为固定相,甲醇作为溶剂,气相色谱法测定复合材料人工颅骨中微量MMA的含量。其相对标准偏差<0.022,平均回收率(n=4)为98.0％～99.1％。此方法操作简便,用于实际样品分析可得到满意的结果。     

Ni-La/AC甲醇气相羰基化催化剂失活行为的研究

采用等容浸渍法制备了Ni-La/AC双金属催化剂,在连续流动固定床反应装置中,于260℃、1.5 MPa、CO/CH3OH/CH3I摩尔比20/19/17、.5 g-cath.mol-1条件下考察了催化剂的稳定性,并通过BET、XRD、TPR和ICP等技术手段对甲醇气相羰基化反应失活前后Ni-La/AC催化剂进行了表征,考察了催化剂在反应过程中的结构变化和失活行为。结果表明:La组分的引入促进了Ni在催化剂表面的分散,提高了反应的初活性。但是在长时间运转条件下,羰基化活性中心Ni晶粒发生聚集,成为积碳的活性中心,堵塞了部分催化剂微孔,使得催化剂比表面积减小导致催化剂失活。失活催化剂再生后,比表面积有所回升,但Ni晶粒明显增大,反应过程中失活速率加快。此外,活性金属镍的流失以及Ni、La在催化剂上分布的变化也是催化剂失活的原因之一。     

甲醇气相羰化合成醋酸甲酯的产物分析

以热导池为检测器,分别采用8/100间苯二甲酸+GDX-103、Porapak-Q分析甲醇气相羰化的液相产物和气相产物,确定了气相色谱分析的操作条件,测定了各组分的校正因子,并应用于甲醇绿色羰化合成醋酸甲酯的催化剂评选,得到了满意的结果。     

林达大型低压甲醇合成塔在内蒙天野20万吨/年装置上的应用

简要介绍了林达均温型甲醇塔在内蒙天野20万t/a甲醇装置开车及初步运行情况。运行情况验证了该反应器的先进性,其催化剂床层测温点多、温度分布均匀、运行稳定。