Abstract
We have fabricated a fuel cell based on the tissue-derived biomaterial “chitin”, and investigated its proton conductivity. It was found that chitin becomes the electrolyte of the fuel cell in the humidified condition, and power density of the fuel cell using chitin electrolyte becomes typically 1.35 mW/cm2 at the 100% relative humidity. This result is the first result showing that the polysaccharide obtained from nature becomes the fuel cell electrolyte. Moreover, this result indicates that chitin is proton conductor in the humidified condition. In the chitin sheet plane, proton conductivity in chitin is observed approximately 0.1 S/m. Further, it was also found that chitin has the anisotropic proton conductivity. The proton conductivity along the chitin fiber direction is higher than that perpendicular to the chitin fiber direction. From these results, it is deduced that the formation of water bridges accompanied by hydration plays an important role in the appearance of proton conductivity in chitin.
Highlights
As well-known, fuel cells attract attention as a clean next-generation energy
The i-Vcell curve shows the typical i-Vcell characteristics of a fuel cell. This result indicates that the chitin becomes the electrolyte of the fuel cell and the chitin exhibits proton conductivity with the humidified condition
Considering that proton conductivity increases with the increase in the number of water molecule and that proton conductivity along the direction of water network becomes high, these results indicate that the realization of proton conductivity is achieved by proton transfer via the water network formed between chitin and water molecules with the breaking and rearrangement of hydrogen bond
Summary
As well-known, fuel cells attract attention as a clean next-generation energy. Among them, solid fuel cells are attracting attention in terms of portability and stability. In the field of electrical device, Schulte et al have shown that chitin can be used as an electrochemical sensor component [8] In this way, a lot of investigations on chitin and chitosan have been carried out. We have found that the fuel cell based on the biopolymer “collagen” electrolyte shows the maximum power density 0.86 mW/cm with the humidified condition and that operates LED lighting as shown in Figure 1 [9]. This result indicates that tissue-derived biomaterials become the electrolyte of a fuel cell. These results will be helpful for the development of further new fuel cells based on the biomaterials
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