Investigating of direct ethanol fuel cell usage potentials of (non Pt based) binary transition metals

Nowadays, world energy demand is increasing day by day and usually fossil fuels are used to meet this demand. Since fossil fuels have negative effects to the environment, renewable and more efficient energy sources are being investigated. In this respect, energy production from fuel cells has great importance. On the other hand, commercialization of fuel cells is still an issue because of high cost of d-block transition metals (like platinum) used for electro-catalyst preparation.In this study our purpose is to develop electro-catalysts which consist of cheap binary transition metals and determine their direct ethanol fuel cell performances.In the first part of this study, support materials were prepared and cheap transition metals were selected. These metals were loaded on to the support material by using ion exchange and wet impregnation methods. To understand chemical structure of metals, spectroscopic analyzes were performed.In the second part of the study, after the preparation of anode electrode materials, voltametric studies were conducted to investigate the electrochemical activity in different electrolyte environments.In the last part of the study, anodic polarization experiments were conducted to determine the performance of anode electrodes for direct ethanol fuel cells. Home made anode electrodes were compared with electrodes containing commercial Pt/C and Pt/Ru-C electro-catalysts.Anodic polarization studies indicate that current densities which were achieved by FeNiPt/C (consist of %1 mole percent Pt/C and 450 oC, 540 oC H2 reduction) and AgCuCeO2+Pt/C (consist of %50 mass percent Pt/C and 400 oC H2 reduction) catalysts are higher than the current densities achieved by commercial Pt/C catalyst (E= 0,9 V vs. RHE I=0,0012 A/mg). These results show that, these catalysts have potential as an anode electrode in direct ethanol fuel cells.