Direct borohydride fuel cell performance using hydroxide‐conducting polymeric nanocomposite electrolytes. Issue 24 (30th January 2013)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Huang, Ching‐Chieh; Liu, Ying‐Ling; Pan, Wen‐Han; Chang, Chia‐Ming; Shih, Chao‐Ming; Chu, Heng‐Yi; Chien, Chun‐Hui; Juan, Cheng‐Hsin; Lue, Shingjiang Jessie
• Is Part Of: Journal of polymer science. Volume 51:Issue 24(2013:Dec. 15)
• Page Start: 1779
• Page End: 1789
• Publication Date: 2013-01-30
• Subjects: 547
• DOI: 10.1002/polb.23250
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0887-6266

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main"> <title> <x xml:space="preserve">Abstract</x> </title> <p>Solid electrolyte membranes based on alkali‐doped polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and PVA/carbon nanotubes (PVA/CNTs) are used in direct borohydride fuel cells (DBFCs). As 0.05 wt % of CNT is incorporated into the PVA matrix, the polymer crystallinity is decreased from 42.4% to 38.0% and the fractional free volume increases from 2.48% to 3.53%. The KOH‐doped PVA/CNT exhibits the highest ionic conductivity of 0.0805 S cm⁻¹, because of the increased polymer free volume (which promotes vehicular OH⁻ transport) and the presence of CNT (which serves as the conducting microchannels). Sodium borohydride (NaBH₄) in NaOH solution and potassium borohydride (KBH₄) in KOH mixture are fed into the cells. The power density of the KBH₄‐based DBFC is almost twice that of the NaBH₄‐based DBFC (184 vs. 92 mW cm⁻²) due to less KBH₄ permeability through the films, higher conductivity of the KOH‐doped PVA composites than those in the sodium counterpart, and probably higher electro‐catalytic kinetics. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 2013, 51, 1779–1789, 2013</p> </abstract>