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Materials in Fuel Cell: Design and Electrochemical Application
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Materials in Fuel Cell: Design and Electrochemical Application

A special issue of Molecules (ISSN 1420-3049). This special issue belongs to the section "Physical Chemistry".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2024 | Viewed by 7297

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Zetian Tao

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, University of South China, Hengyang, China
Interests: solid oxide fuel cells; solid oxide electrolysis cells; electrocatalysis

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

I am pleased to invite you to submit your recent studies in the field of “Cathode Materials and Structural regulation for proton-conducting Solid Oxide Fuel Cells” to a Special Issue of Molecules.

Nowadays, the trend towards sustainable living has prompted the development of materials and technologies which can convert energy efficiently. Proton-conducting solid oxide fuel cells (H-SOFCs) are promising devices that can operate and convert chemical molecular energy to electricity at intermediate temperatures due to their high energy conversion efficiency.

Developing appropriate cathode materials that can demonstrate satisfactory performance has become a primary challenge for the practical application of H-SOFCs. Many cobalt-based cathodes have been extensively studied for H-SOFCs in recent years. However, their electrochemical performance is still lower than that of oxygen-ion-conducting SOFCs. Significant advances in cathode materials and microstructure modification for H-SOFCs have been achieved in the last decades and are still an important target in the current research.

This Special Issue aims to provide a forum for researchers to present current and recent developments in novel cathode materials and structure. Original research papers, review articles and short communication letters are all welcome.

Prof. Dr. Zetian Tao
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Molecules is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • cathode materials
  • catalytic activity
  • electrochemical performance
  • operation durability
  • microstructure
  • DFT calculation

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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26 pages, 5137 KiB  
Article
Reliability-Based Design Optimization for Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cells: Tackling Dimensional Uncertainties in Manufacturing and Their Effects on Costs of Cathode Gas Diffusion Layer and Bipolar Plates
by Neil Vaz, Kisung Lim, Jaeyoo Choi and Hyunchul Ju
Molecules 2024, 29(18), 4381; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules29184381 - 14 Sep 2024
Viewed by 979
Abstract
Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cells (PEMFCs) have emerged as a pivotal technology in the automotive industry, significantly contributing to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. However, the high material costs of the gas diffusion layer (GDL) and bipolar plate (BP) create a barrier [...] Read more.
Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cells (PEMFCs) have emerged as a pivotal technology in the automotive industry, significantly contributing to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. However, the high material costs of the gas diffusion layer (GDL) and bipolar plate (BP) create a barrier for large scale commercial application. This study aims to address this challenge by optimizing the material and design of the cathode, GDL and BP. While deterministic design optimization (DDO) methods have been extensively studied, they often fall short when manufacturing uncertainties are introduced. This issue is addressed by introducing reliability-based design optimization (RBDO) to optimize four key PEMFC design variables, i.e., gas diffusion layer thickness, channel depth, channel width and land width. The objective is to maximize cell voltage considering the material cost of the cathode gas diffusion layer and cathode bipolar plate as reliability constraints. The results of the DDO show an increment in cell voltage of 31 mV, with a reliability of around 50% in material cost for both the cathode GDL and cathode BP. In contrast, the RBDO method provides a reliability of 95% for both components. Additionally, under a high level of uncertainty, the RBDO approach reduces the material cost of the cathode GDL by up to 12.25 $/stack, while the material cost for the cathode BP increases by up to 11.18 $/stack Under lower levels of manufacturing uncertainties, the RBDO method predicts a reduction in the material cost of the cathode GDL by up to 4.09 $/stack, with an increase in the material cost for the cathode BP by up to 6.71 $/stack, while maintaining a reliability of 95% for both components. These results demonstrate the effectiveness of the RBDO approach in achieving a reliable design under varying levels of manufacturing uncertainties. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Materials in Fuel Cell: Design and Electrochemical Application)
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Review

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34 pages, 8988 KiB  
Review
Strategies for Mitigating Phosphoric Acid Leaching in High-Temperature Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells
by Zhongming Xu, Nanjie Chen, Sheng Huang, Shuanjin Wang, Dongmei Han, Min Xiao and Yuezhong Meng
Molecules 2024, 29(18), 4480; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules29184480 - 20 Sep 2024
Viewed by 1782
Abstract
High-temperature proton exchange membrane fuel cells (HT-PEMFCs) have become one of the important development directions of PEMFCs because of their outstanding features, including fast reaction kinetics, high tolerance against impurities in fuel, and easy heat and water management. The proton exchange membrane (PEM), [...] Read more.
High-temperature proton exchange membrane fuel cells (HT-PEMFCs) have become one of the important development directions of PEMFCs because of their outstanding features, including fast reaction kinetics, high tolerance against impurities in fuel, and easy heat and water management. The proton exchange membrane (PEM), as the core component of HT-PEMFCs, plays the most critical role in the performance of fuel cells. Phosphoric acid (PA)-doped membranes have showed satisfied proton conductivity at high-temperature and anhydrous conditions, and significant advancements have been achieved in the design and development of HT-PEMFCs based on PA-doped membranes. However, the persistent issue of HT-PEMFCs caused by PA leaching remains a challenge that cannot be ignored. This paper provides a concise overview of the proton conduction mechanism in HT-PEMs and the underlying causes of PA leaching in HT-PEMFCs and highlights the strategies aimed at mitigating PA leaching, such as designing crosslinked structures, incorporation of hygroscopic nanoparticles, improving the alkalinity of polymers, covalently linking acidic groups, preparation of multilayer membranes, constructing microporous structures, and formation of micro-phase separation. This review will offer a guidance for further research and development of HT-PEMFCs with high performance and longevity. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Materials in Fuel Cell: Design and Electrochemical Application)
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28 pages, 7989 KiB  
Review
Exploring Recent Developments in Graphene-Based Cathode Materials for Fuel Cell Applications: A Comprehensive Overview
by Somya Samantaray, Debabrata Mohanty, Santosh Kumar Satpathy and I-Ming Hung
Molecules 2024, 29(12), 2937; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules29122937 - 20 Jun 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1501
Abstract
Fuel cells are at the forefront of modern energy research, with graphene-based materials emerging as key enhancers of performance. This overview explores recent advancements in graphene-based cathode materials for fuel cell applications. Graphene’s large surface area and excellent electrical conductivity and mechanical strength [...] Read more.
Fuel cells are at the forefront of modern energy research, with graphene-based materials emerging as key enhancers of performance. This overview explores recent advancements in graphene-based cathode materials for fuel cell applications. Graphene’s large surface area and excellent electrical conductivity and mechanical strength make it ideal for use in different solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) as well as proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs). This review covers various forms of graphene, including graphene oxide (GO), reduced graphene oxide (rGO), and doped graphene, highlighting their unique attributes and catalytic contributions. It also examines the effects of structural modifications, doping, and functional group integrations on the electrochemical properties and durability of graphene-based cathodes. Additionally, we address the thermal stability challenges of graphene derivatives at high SOFC operating temperatures, suggesting potential solutions and future research directions. This analysis underscores the transformative potential of graphene-based materials in advancing fuel cell technology, aiming for more efficient, cost-effective, and durable energy systems. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Materials in Fuel Cell: Design and Electrochemical Application)
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27 pages, 4680 KiB  
Review
Research Progress in Enzyme Biofuel Cells Modified Using Nanomaterials and Their Implementation as Self-Powered Sensors
by Lili Cao, Juan Chen, Jingyu Pang, Hongjie Qu, Jiaren Liu and Jinling Gao
Molecules 2024, 29(1), 257; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules29010257 - 3 Jan 2024
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2303
Abstract
Enzyme biofuel cells (EBFCs) can convert chemical or biochemical energy in fuel into electrical energy, and therefore have received widespread attention. EBFCs have advantages that traditional fuel cells cannot match, such as a wide range of fuel sources, environmental friendliness, and mild reaction [...] Read more.
Enzyme biofuel cells (EBFCs) can convert chemical or biochemical energy in fuel into electrical energy, and therefore have received widespread attention. EBFCs have advantages that traditional fuel cells cannot match, such as a wide range of fuel sources, environmental friendliness, and mild reaction conditions. At present, research on EBFCs mainly focuses on two aspects: one is the use of nanomaterials with excellent properties to construct high-performance EBFCs, and the other is self-powered sensors based on EBFCs. This article reviews the applied nanomaterials based on the working principle of EBFCs, analyzes the design ideas of self-powered sensors based on enzyme biofuel cells, and looks forward to their future research directions and application prospects. This article also points out the key properties of nanomaterials in EBFCs, such as electronic conductivity, biocompatibility, and catalytic activity. And the research on EBFCs is classified according to different research goals, such as improving battery efficiency, expanding the fuel range, and achieving self-powered sensors. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Materials in Fuel Cell: Design and Electrochemical Application)
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