ETHANOL ELECTROOXIDATION MECHANISM BASED ON NEW INSIGHTS FROM PM-IRRAS AND DFT STUDIES ON PALLADIUM

摘要

Fuel cells represent a promising technology for clean power generation because they convert chemical energy (fuel) into electrical energy with high efficiency and low emission of pollutants. Direct ethanol fuel cells (DEFCs) have several advantages compared to the most studied hydrogen and methanol fuel cells: transportation is facilitated and investment of handling facilities is lowered because the current infrastructure for gasoline can be used. Furthermore, ethanol has, in principle, a higher energy density than methanol since it can deliver 12 electrons per molecule: CH3CH2OH +12 OH~- -> 2 CO2 + 9 H2O + 12 e~-.