Abstract
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°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 Al(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 to be higher in Al(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 Al(III) and 80% for Fe(III)-treated graphite electrode.
Published Version
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