Fuel Cells & Batteries

Introduction to Batteries
A device which convert the stored chemical energy to
electrical energy and used as a source of power.

Chemical energy stored in electrolyte.

Electric current flow from cathode to anode.

Electron flow from anode to cathode.

 Batteries Component
Cathode
Positive terminal
Chemical reduction occurs (gain electrons)

Anode
Negative terminal
Chemical oxidation occurs (lose electrons)

Separator
As barrier between cathode and anode

Current collector brass pin

Conducting electricity to outside circuit
 Types of Battery
Two types of batteries:

1. Primary Cell (Non-rechargeable Battery)

2. Secondary Cell ( Rechargeable Battery)

 Primary Cell
Characteristics:
Disposable after used up
Non-rechargeable
Lower discharge rate

Example:
Alkaline battery
Zinc-carbon battery
 Example 1: Alkaline Battery
Anode: zinc powder form
Cathode: manganese dioxide
Electrolyte: potassium hydroxide

Half reactions:

Overall reaction:
Zn(s) + 2MnO2(s) ZnO(s) + Mn2O3(s) [e = 1.43 V]
 Example 2: Zinc-Carbon Battery
Anode: zinc metal body (Zn)
Cathode: manganese dioxide (MnO2)
Electrolyte: paste of zinc chloride and
ammonium chloride dissolved in water

Half-reactions:
Zn(s) Zn2+(aq) + 2e- [e = -0.763 V]
2NH4+(aq) + 2MnO2(s) + 2e-
Mn2O3(s) + H2O(l) + 2NH3(aq) +2Cl- [e = 0.50 V]
Overall reaction:
Zn(s) + 2MnO2(s) + 2NH4Cl(aq)
Mn2O3(s) + Zn(NH3)2Cl2 (aq) + H2O(l) [e = 1.3 V]
 Comparison
Alkaline Battery Zinc-Carbon Battery
Zinc powder as anode Zinc body as anode

Electrolyte is alkaline Electrolyte is acidic

8 years shelf life 1 to 3 years shelf life

Can power all devices with high and low Only suitble for low-drain device
drains
 Secondary Cell
Characteristics:
Rechargeable
Can be used for more than one time
Higher discharge rate

Mechanism:
When charging, the redox reaction is reversed by supplying external energy to the
battery.

Examples:
Nickel-Cadmium Battery
Lead-Acid Battery
Lithium-Ion Battery
 Example 1: Nickel-Cadmium Battery
Anode: Cadmium hydroxide, Cd(OH)2
Cathode: Nickel hydroxide, Ni(OH)2
Electrolyte: Potassium hydroxide, KOH

Half-reactions (during discharging):

Cd+2OH- Cd(OH)2+2e-
2NiO(OH)+2e- 2Ni(OH)2+2OH-

Overall reaction:
Cd+2NiO(OH)2Ni(OH)2+Cd(OH)2
 Example 2: Lead-Acid Battery
Anode: Porous lead
Cathode: Lead-dioxide
Electrolyte: Sulfuric acid, 6 molar H2SO4

Half-reactions:
Pb(s) + SO4 2-(aq) PbSO4 (s) + 2e-
PbO2(s) + 4H+(aq) + SO4 2-(aq) + 2e- PbSO4(s) + 2H2O(l)

Overall reaction:
Pb(s) + 2SO42-(aq) + PbO2(s) + 4H+(aq) 2PbSO4(s) + 2H2O(l)
 Example 3: Lithium-Ion Battery
Anode: Graphite
Cathode: Lithium manganese dioxide
Electrolyte: mixture of lithium salts

Half-reactions:
CoO2 + Li+ + e- LiCoO2 [E = 1 V]
LiC6 Li+ + C6+ e- [E = 3.01 V]

Overall reaction:
CoO2 + LiC6 LiCoO2 + C6 [E = 4.01 V]
 Comparison
Type of Battery Advantage Disadvantage
Nickel- Chemistry is stable and reliable Very expensive
Cadmium Still perform well after long period Materials are toxic
Battery storage. Recycling materials in battery is
limited.
Lead-Acid Longer life cycle Lead is heavier
Battery Environmental friendly Hazard to human because of
97% of lead can be recycle and high concentration of sulfuric
reused for new battery acid usage
Lithium-Ion High energy density (energy Cannot be recycled
Battery capacity per weight of battery) Ageing (performance gets lower
as increasing age)
 Fuel Cell Introduction
Fuel cell directly convert chemical energy from continuous supplied
fuel to electrical energy.
Fuel can be hydrogen (H2) or methanol (CH3OH)

General overview of Fuel cell as below:

Fuel
Comparison
 Fuel cell types can be divided in two ways:
Low Temperature High Temperature

Types Operating T (C) Types Operating T (C)

Alkaline 60 - 120 Molten Carbonate 580 700

Polymer Electrolyte 50 - 100 Solid Oxide 1000

Membrane
Direct Methanol 50 90
Phosphoric Acid 175 - 200
Alkaline Fuel Cell
Developed by Francis Thomas Bacon (1930s)
In the Apollo missions
- 85% KOH
- Temperature: 200-230 oC
- Ni anode and NiO cathode
- Acidic fuel cells had been used, but alkaline had faster
oxygen reduction kinetics
- Fuel cells were used to provide electricity, cool the ship,
and provide potable water

Efficiency - 35 55%
Anode: C/Pt or Cathode: C/Pt
C/Raney Ni/Pt
O2 + H2O + 2e- HO2- + OH-
H2 + 2OH- H2O + 2e- HO2- + H2O + 2e- 3OH-
 ADVANTAGE
Low cost electrolyte
solution (KOH 30-35%)
Non-noble catalyst
withstand basic conditions
O2 kinetics faster in alkaline
solution
OH- v. H2O
DISADVANTAGE
Catalysts
Pt expensive
Pure gases only
CO 2- builds up in
electrolyte and clogspores
CO2 + 2OH- CO32- + H2O
Fe sponges can be inserted
to absorb CO2
Circling electrolyte can slow
build up of CO32-
Polymer Electrolyte Membrane (PEM)
Fuel Cell
Used by NASA for Gemini mission employed
polystyrene sulfonate polymer (unstable)
Nafion develop by Dupont
polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) backbone with
a perfluorinated side chain (more stable)
Ideal for transportation and portable power, the
size is small and low cost.
Efficiency : 35 60%
 Anode: C/Pt Cathode: C/Pt
O2 + 2H+ + 2e- H2O2
H2 2H+ + 2e- H2O2 + 2H+ + 2e- H2O
 Advantages Disadvantages

1. Non- 1. Slow O2
volatile kinetics
membrane 2. Hydration of membrane
is difficult (30-60%)
2. CO2 Formed at cathode, but
rejecting difficult to keep in
electrolyte membrane
Too little -dehydration
and loss of ion transport
3. Few Solutions
material Humidify gases
problems Impregnate Nafion with
SiO2 or TiO2
 Direct Methanol Fuel Cell
An attractive future development is the Direct Methanol Fuel
Cell (DMFC).
- uses CH3OH as a fuel for fuel cells by reforming it into
hydrogen because of the capacity of safe hydrogen storage
and transportation that methanol provides.
Used in transportation.
Polymer membrane as electrolyte
- Anode catalyst draws the hydrogen directly from liquid
methanol (no reformer needed)
Efficiency : 40%
 N
A
F
I
O
N

Anode: Pt/Ru/C Cathode: Pt/C

O2 + 2H+ + 2e- H2O2

CH3OH + H2O CO2 + 6H+ + 6e-
H2O2 + 2H+ + 2e- H2O
Advantages Disadvantages
Direct fuel conversion no catalyst loading
reformer needed, all positive
aspects of PEMFC (1-3mg/cm2 v. 0.1-0.3 mg/cm2

CH3OH natural gas or biomass CH3OH hazardous

Existing infastructure for

transporting petrol can be Low efficiency (MeOH crossover
converted to MeOH lowers potential)
 Phosphoric Acid Fuel Cell

Most commercially developed fuel cell.

- More than 500 PAFC have been installed and
tested.
- Mainly used in stationary power plants.
- Most influential developer of PAFC
UTC Fuel Cells, Toshiba and Fuji Electric
Use Phosphorus Acid as electrolyte
Efficiency : 35 45%
 PTFE binding H+
Si matrix
separator
100%
H2PO4

Anode: Pt/C Cathode: Pt/C

H2 2e- =2H+ O2 + 4H+ + 4e- 2H2O
Advantages Disadvantages

H2O rejecting O2 kinetic

electrolyte hindered

High temps H2 only

favor H2O2 suitable fuel
decomposition
O2 + H2O +2e- CO catalyst
H2O2 poison at
Stable H2O2 anode
lowers cell
voltage and low
corrodes electrode
conducting
electrolyte