Electrocatalytic study of methanol with a modified zeolite carbon pasteelectrode with Ni ion and surfactant

Direct-methanol fuel cells or DMFCs are a subcategory of proton-exchange fuel cells in whichmethanol is used as the fuel. Their main advantage is the ease of transport of methanol, an energydenseyet reasonably stable liquid at all environmental conditions [۱, ۲]. Whilst the thermodynamictheoretical energy conversion efficiency of a DMFC is ۹۷%; the currently achievable energyconversion efficiency for operational cells attains ۳۰% – ۴۰%. There is intensive research onpromising approaches to increase the operational efficiency. A more efficient version of a direct fuelcell would play a key role in the theoretical use of methanol as a general energy transport medium, inthe hypothesized methanol economy [۳, ۴].In this study, a new carbon paste electrode modified with zeolite and surfactant was fabricated as novelelectrode for methanol oxidation. The mentioned electrode can be used as working electrode formethanol fuel cell. The optimum conditions were tested and obtained results showed that the modifiedelectrode had a significant increase in electron transfer rate compared to the unmodified carbon pasteelectrode. The catalytic rate constant for electrocatalytic reaction was calculated ۶.۴*۱۰۴ cm۲s-۱mol-۱and the diffusion coefficient for this reaction was ۸.۲*۱۰-۵Cm۲s-۱.

کلیدواژه ها:

Methanol ، Modified Electrode ، Fuel cell ، Chronamperommetry ، Surfactant