Studies on methanol fuel cell

A fuel cell using methanol dissolved in 6 N KOH solution with (Fe(III) and Al(III)) and without treated graphite cathode at ambient temperature (25 degrees C) was studied for the following parameters: (a) current-voltage behaviour at ambient temperature; (b) voltage drop with time; (c) methanol concentration as a function of time; (d) carbon dioxide generation as a function of time; (e) effect of catalyst on the performance of the cell. The OCV of the cell was 0.273, 0.850 and 1.4 V, while current density was 0.5, 4.52 and 17.2 Am-2 with untreated and treated (Fe(III) and AI(III)) graphite electrode, respectively. The highest current density was 180 Am-2 at 0.3 V and 540 Am-2 at 1.04 V for Fe(III) and Al(III), respectively. Polarisation was found Co be higher in AI(III) than Fe(III)-treated graphite electrode due to the low heat of adsorption of Al(III) [406 kJ mol(-1) vs. 518 kJ mol(-1) for Fe(III)]. The catalytic oxidation of methanol in terms of electrical energy output shows efficiency of about 78% for AI(III) and 80% for Fe(III)-treated graphite electrode. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.