Acetylene Contamination Mechanisms in the Cathode of Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells
Abstract
The catalytic reactions of acetylene in contact with air, the electrochemical reactions of acetylene under different potentials, and the contamination reactions of acetylene in an operated proton exchange membrane fuel cell were investigated by using gas chromatography (GC), chronoamperometry, and cyclic voltammetry (CV) techniques. The GC results indicate that carbon dioxide is the catalytic reaction product of acetylene in the cathode and an electro‐oxidation product at high potentials, and it can desorb easily. Ethylene, ethane, and methane are the electrochemical reduction products of acetylene at low cathode potentials, and they can desorb easily. The CV analysis suggests the electroreduction intermediates are vinylidene and ethylidyne at low potentials and electro‐oxidation intermediates CO (or COH‐type species) at high potentials. In an operating fuel cell, acetylene reactions in the cathode include not only catalytic reactions, but also electrochemical redox reactions. According to these catalytic and electrochemical reactions, acetylene contamination mechanisms and possible effective contamination mitigation strategies are proposed.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Pub Defense Publication
- Publication Date
- Feb 07, 2017
- Source ID
- 10.1002/celc.201600666
Entities
People
- Jean St‐pierre
- Yunfeng Zhai
Organizations
- Office of Naval Research
- United States Department of Energy
- University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa