Formic acid fuel cell

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The formic acid fuel cell ( FAFC from English: Formic acid fuel cell ) is a fuel cell in which formic acid is used as fuel . As in the DMFC , a proton-conducting membrane ( e.g. Nafion ) is used as the electrolyte . Because of its low power density, it is mainly suitable for use in small electronic devices such as cell phones .

Differences to other fuel cells

Formic acid fuel cells convert formic acid and oxygen into carbon dioxide and water to generate electricity . In previous investigations, formic acid was excluded as a useful fuel because it showed high electrochemical overvoltages in experiments with classic catalysts such as platinum , which meant a low power density and service life.

In recent years, researchers found (especially Richard Masels group from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign ), however, found that the low performance in the use of catalysts made of platinum was currently being used in most conventional fuel cells. If palladium is used instead , a performance can be achieved that is even higher than that of a direct methanol fuel cell .

Other approaches are based on ruthenium - complexes as catalyst. With a ruthenium phosphine or diphosphine catalyst (RuCl 2 (PPh 3 ) 2 ), researchers from Rostock were able to achieve almost 100% yields for the first time in 2008, with an efficiency that was around three times as high as previously such a material has been achieved. Liquid formic acid serves as the energy carrier.

In the “HYFORM-PEMFC” project of the GRT Group and a research group from the Ecole polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), a new integrated methanoic acid-hydrogen fuel cell was developed in 2018 on the basis of a ruthenium-based catalyst, which is suitable for both domestic and industrial use Applications is suitable. The HYFORM PEMFC system produces up to 7000 kWh per year and has a nominal output of 800 watts.

Individual evidence

  1. ^ S. Ha, R. Larsen, RI Masel: Performance characterization of Pd / C nanocatalyst for direct formic acid fuel cells. In: Journal of Power Sources , Volume 144, 2005, pp. 28-34, doi: 10.1016 / j.jpowsour.2004.12.031
  2. ^ S. Uhm, HJ Lee, Y. Kwon, J. Lee: A stable and cost-effective anode catalyst structure for formic acid fuel cells. In: Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. Volume 47, 2008, pp. 10163-10166, doi: 10.1002 / anie.200803466 .
  3. ^ Hydrogen for fuel cells made from formic acid ( memento of October 25, 2011 in the Internet Archive ).
  4. ↑ Manfred Lindinger: Formic acid as a source of hydrogen. In: FAZ.net . June 6, 2008, accessed September 28, 2017 .
  5. ↑ The world's first PEMFC fuel cell with methanoic acid. In: energie-experten.org. March 20, 2018. Retrieved May 11, 2018 .