Prospects of fuel cells with alkaline, solid-polymer, and superacid electrolytes as power sources for electric vehicles

Conference · Thu Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1981

OSTI ID:6704535

Srinivasan, S

Fuel cells are most promising as power sources for electric vehicles. Performance is comparable to that of internal-combustion-engine vehicles but with the additional advantage of higher fuel efficiency, particularly with synthetic fuels from coal. The state of the art and expected progress with fuel cells using alternatives to phosphoric acid as the electrolyte, that is, alkaline, solid polymer, and superacid electrolytes is reviewed. Alkaline fuel cells are appealing because of the good performance at less than 100/sup 0/C and potential for finding nonnoble metal catalysts, but are handicapped by the fact that pure hydrogen will have to be stored and used as the fuel. The solid-polymer electrolyte fuel cell has the best prospects for attaining the highest power densities, which are important from the point of view of reducing cost, weight, and volume of the power plant. However, this type of fuel cell uses an expensive electrolyte membrane and has a difficult water management problem. Enthusiasm is growing for the development of fuel cells using organic superacids as the electrolyte. The bulk of the studies to date are with aqueous trifluoromethanesulfonic acid. Electrode kinetics of the oxygen reduction action are sufficiently enhanced in the superacids as compared with phosphoric acid. The noble metal content of the electrodes can be minimized and perhaps eliminated in fuel cells with such electrolytes.

• Research Organization: Los Alamos Scientific Lab., NM (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-36
• OSTI ID: 6704535
• Report Number(s): LA-UR-81-293; CONF-801242-1
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

30 DIRECT ENERGY CONVERSION
300504* -- Fuel Cells-- Applications
33 ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS
330300 -- Advanced Propulsion Systems-- Electric-Powered Systems
ACID ELECTROLYTE FUEL CELLS
CATALYSTS
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
COST
DESIGN
DIRECT ENERGY CONVERTERS
EFFICIENCY
ELECTRIC-POWERED VEHICLES
ELECTROCATALYSTS
ELECTROCHEMICAL CELLS
ELECTROLYTES
FUEL CELLS
HYDROGEN FUEL CELLS
MATERIALS
MATRIX MATERIALS
MEMBRANES
ORGANIC ACIDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC SULFUR COMPOUNDS
PERFORMANCE
REMOVAL
SIZE
SOLID ELECTROLYTES
SULFONIC ACIDS
TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT
USES
VEHICLES
WATER REMOVAL
WEIGHT