Direct 2-Propanol Fuel Cell—Current-voltage Characteristics and Reaction Product at Room Temperature Operation

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Abstract
We have studied the electrochemical performance of a direct 2-propanol fuel cell (D2PFC) having a Pt5:Ru5 anode comparatively with those using primary alcohols at room temperature. First, cyclic voltammograms of the alcohols were recorded in aqueous solution at a Pt-Ru sputtered electrode in an atomic ratio of 50:50. As a result, 2-propanol exhibited (i) the most cathodic potential where oxidation current starts to flow, and (ii) the largest current density. Next, by employing a single cell with an anode catalyst of the same Pt-Ru composition, the I-V properties of 0.5 mol dm−3 fuel concentration exhibited similar trend as observed in CVs. However, methanol exceeds 2-propanol at high power operation. The inversion phenomenon is proven to be an accumulation of acetone, which is the only oxidation product of 2-propanol around the anode surface. Interestingly, by using a concentrated fuel of 5 mol dm−3, direct 2-propanol fuel cell exceeded direct methanol fuel cell even at high power operation. This demonstrates that 2-propanol could advantageously substitute for methanol as a high-power fuel in a fuel cell at room temperature operation.