Research on electrochemical energy conversion systems. Technical report No. 7. Final, October 1971--June 1975. [Trifluoromethanesulfonic acid monohydrate electrolyte]

Technical Report · Mon Dec 01 04:00:00 EST 1975

OSTI ID:7337003

Adams, A A; Foley, R T

The research on electrochemical energy conversion system has involved work on two tasks: a search for electrolytes alternative to phosphoric acid for direct and indirect hydrocarbon-air fuel cells, and a study of the corrosion characteristics of electrolytes for intermediate-temperature hydrocarbon-air fuel cells. A tabulation of the characteristics of an ideal fuel cell electrolyte established that there were five classes of chemical compounds that could be the sources of new, improved electrolytes. One class, the fluorinated sulfonic acids, through one member of the class, trifluoromethanesulfonic acid monohydrate, was investigated in some depth. This compound, when used as an electrolyte in hydrocarbon-air half cells, exhibits exceptional properties in comparison to conventional electrolytes such as phosphoric acid. The electrooxidation of propane and hydrogen is increased by an order of magnitude. The limiting current for the electroreduction of oxygen is increased somewhat but the open circuit potential for the air electrode is increased from 0.98 V (in phosphoric acid) to 1.13 V.

• Research Organization: American Univ., Washington, DC
• OSTI ID: 7337003
• Report Number(s): AD-A-023689
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

30 DIRECT ENERGY CONVERSION
300503* -- Fuel Cells-- Materials
Components
& Auxiliaries
ACID ELECTROLYTE FUEL CELLS
ALKANES
CORROSIVE EFFECTS
CRYOGENIC FLUIDS
DIRECT ENERGY CONVERTERS
ELECTROCHEMICAL CELLS
ELECTROLYTES
ELEMENTS
FLUIDS
FUEL CELLS
HYDROCARBON FUEL CELLS
HYDROCARBONS
HYDROGEN
NONMETALS
ORGANIC ACIDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC FLUORINE COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC SULFUR COMPOUNDS
PERFORMANCE
PROPANE
RESEARCH PROGRAMS
SULFONIC ACIDS