Performance enhancement of direct ethanol fuel cell using Nafion composites with high volume fraction of titania

• Published in: Journal of power sources Vol. 268; pp. 706 - 711
• Main Authors: Matos, B.R., Isidoro, R.A., Santiago, E.I., Fonseca, F.C.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 05-12-2014; Elsevier
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Ceramics; Composite; Direct energy conversion and energy accumulation; Direct ethanol fuel cell; Electrical engineering. Electrical power engineering; Electrical power engineering; Electrochemical conversion: primary and secondary batteries, fuel cells; Energy; Energy. Thermal use of fuels; Equipments for energy generation and conversion: thermal, electrical, mechanical energy, etc; Ethanol; Ethanol crossover; Ethyl alcohol; Exact sciences and technology; Fuel cells; Materials; Nafion; Performance enhancement; Proton conductivity; Titanium dioxide; Uptakes; Volume fraction; Proton conductivity; Composite; Direct ethanol fuel cell; Nafion; Ethanol crossover; Performance evaluation; Ionomer; Nation; Ethanol; Electrical properties; Cross-over phenomenon; Alcohol fuel cells; Alcohol; Composite material; Sulfonate copolymer; Titanium Oxides; Tetrafluoroethylene copolymer; Cation exchange membrane; Titanium oxide; Performance
• ISSN: 0378-7753; 1873-2755
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jpowsour.2014.06.097

The present study reports on the performance enhancement of direct ethanol fuel cell (DEFC) at 130 °C with Nafion-titania composite electrolytes prepared by sol–gel technique and containing high volume fractions of the ceramic phase. It is found that for high volume fractions of titania (>10 vol%) the ethanol uptake of composites is largely reduced while the proton conductivity at high-temperatures is weakly dependent on the titania content. Such tradeoff between alcohol uptake and conductivity resulted in a boost of DEFC performance at high temperatures using Nafion-titania composites with high fraction of the inorganic phase.
•A boost of DEFC performance at T = 130 °C using Nafion with 25 vol% of titania.•OCV increase occurs at high fractions of inorganic phase in Nafion hybrids.•Ethanol uptake hindered by high fractions of titania in Nafion hybrids.•Proton conductivity at high temperatures weakly dependent on titania fraction.