Design and Synthesis of Nanostructured Electrocatalysts for Paper-based Microfluidic Ethanol Fuel Cells

Abstract

The growing demand for sustainable energy solutions, alongside the diminishing availability of fossil fuels and their detrimental environmental effects, has accelerated the development of fuel cells (FCs), particularly proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells that utilize hydrogen to generate electricity with minimal environmental impact. However, compared to compressed hydrogen, fuel cells powered by hydrogen-rich fuels like methanol and ethanol, present a promising alternative. Ethanol, in particular, stands out due to its high energy density (8.0 kWh kg-1), low toxicity, and ease of production from renewable resources. Despite its theoretical efficiency of ~96%, the ethanol oxidation reaction (EOR) faces challenges due to its sluggish kinetics, involving complex multi-electron transfer and C-C bond breakage. Although platinum (Pt) is highly effective for EOR, its widespread use is limited due to its high cost, limited availability, and susceptibility to poisoning by intermediate species like carbon monoxide (CO). These limitations call for the development of efficient, durable, and low-cost alternatives based on either low-Pt loadings or non-noble metals.