Optimistic performance of carbon-free hydrazine fuel cells based on controlled electrode structure and water management

Abstract

In this study, we first attempted to discover the optimal configuration of membrane-electrode assemblies (MEAs) used to achieve a high performance of direct hydrazine fuel cells (DHFCs). We have investigated the effect of water management and the electrode thickness on the performance of DHFCs, depending on the hydrophobicity of the gas diffusion layers in the cathode and the catalyst loading in the anode with the carbon-supported Ni, synthesized by a polyol process. With the optimal water management and electrode thickness, the MEA constructed using the as-prepared Ni/C anode catalyst containing the metallic and low oxidative state and ultra-low Pt loading cathode reduced the ohmic resistance and mass transfer limitation in the current-voltage curves observed for the alkaline DHFC, achieving an impressive power performance over 500 mW cm–2. © 2020