Carbon-free fuels for direct liquid-feed fuel cells: Anodic electrocatalysts and influence of the experimental conditions on the reaction kinetics and mechanisms

Direct fuel cells fed with liquid carbon-free fuels (borohydride, ammonia-borane, hydrazine) present a number of benefits compared to state-of-the-art proton-exchange membrane fuel cells, among them ease of fuel transportation and distribution, high volumetric energy density, high theoretical cell v...

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Published in:Applied catalysis. B, Environmental Environmental, 2024-05, Vol.345 (2), p.123676, Article 123676
Main Authors: Vorms, Evgeniia A., Oshchepkov, Alexandr G., Bonnefont, Antoine, Savinova, Elena R., Chatenet, Marian
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Alkaline fuel cells
Ammonia-borane
Catalysis
Chemical Sciences
Hydrazine
Material chemistry
Non-carbon fuels oxidation reaction
Sodium borohydride
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Summary:Direct fuel cells fed with liquid carbon-free fuels (borohydride, ammonia-borane, hydrazine) present a number of benefits compared to state-of-the-art proton-exchange membrane fuel cells, among them ease of fuel transportation and distribution, high volumetric energy density, high theoretical cell voltage, and number of transferred electrons n > 2. However, taking full advantage of these benefits requires highly active anodic catalysts, which allow efficient fuel valorization at close-to-equilibrium potentials. This requires understanding the complex mechanisms of the multi-electron fuel oxidation reactions and the main factors affecting reaction rates and product selectivities. This review offers a state-of-the-art understanding of borohydride, ammonia-borane, and hydrazine oxidation on noble metal and noble metal-free catalysts both in half- and in full-cell configuration. Electrochemical data are complemented with coupled physicochemical techniques and numerical calculations to unveil the main intermediates and co-products and the influence of the different experimental factors on the reaction kinetics and mechanisms. [Display omitted] •Borohydride, ammonia-borane and hydrazine oxidation reactions are reviewed.•Electrochemistry is combined with in situ/operando spectroscopies and DFT.•Materials discovery are combined to mechanistic investigations.•Noble and non-noble electrocatalysts have assets for fast kinetics and high selectivity.•Real cells must not only employ “good catalyst” but need “proper engineering”.
ISSN:0926-3373
1873-3883
DOI:10.1016/j.apcatb.2023.123676