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The Use of Non-platinum Electro-catalyst for Low Temperature Fuel Cells

Hamzehie, Mohammad Ehsan | 2013

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  1. Type of Document: M.Sc. Thesis
  2. Language: Farsi
  3. Document No: 44530 (06)
  4. University: Sharif University of Technology
  5. Department: Chemical and Petroleum Engineering
  6. Advisor(s): Samiee, Leila; Seifkordi, Ali Akbar
  7. Abstract:
  8. In the recent decades, Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cells (PEFC) have been known as an appropriate type of fuel cells, due to being electrochemical converter and clean energy generator with high power density and having low operation temperature and launch time. Palatine is one of the major materials that are used in electro-catalysts of fuel cell. Due to shortage of palatine resources and its high price, fuel cell production is not economical. To achieve economic conditions for production of fuel cell, two major methods are proposed:
    1) Reduction of the employed amount of palatine in electro-catalyst
    2) Full replacement of palatine with cheap materials
    In the current projects, the second method is suggested as a major solution since the foremost production cost is related to the electro-catalysts’ palatine. To achieve this purpose, an electro-catalyst is produced with basis of meso carbon 150 and poly-aniline, with iron and cobalt as catalysts. The optimum ratio of carbon to poly-aniline was obtained as 1:4, the optimum percentage of catalyst was found to be 20%, the optimal ratio of iron to cobalt in the catalyst was 4:1, and the best operation temperature for catalyst production was 900 degrees. For structural analysis, large and small angle X-ray diffraction analysis, nitrogen adsorption analysis, X-ray photo-electron spectroscopy, scanning Electron Microscope, and transmission electron microscopy analysis were used. Also, for electrochemical sample analysis, linear sweep voltammetry and cyclic voltammetry tests are employed. Eventually, the optimized sample is compared with the 20% commercial palatine electro-catalyst of E-tek. Results show that reduction potential for the present investigation is about 0.1 volt less than the commercial palatine sample and current density of the optimized sample is about 15 mA/cm^2 more than the commercial palatine sample.
  9. Keywords:
  10. Fuel Cell ; Polyaniline ; Electrocatalysts ; Non-Platinum Electrocatalyst

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