(585c) Electrocatalytic Processing of Polyols Based On Anion Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells

     Biofuels are expected to share a significant portion in our future energy supply landscape. Polyols will be substantially produced with biofuel refinery processing.  We will present our recent research on electrocatalytic processing of polyols (including glycerol, sorbitol, etc) based on anion exchange membrane fuel cells.  A self-developed solution phase-based nanocapsule method was used to prepare Pt, Pd, Au and their bimetallic catalysts with small particle size of 2-4 nm. The electro-oxidation of polyols on these catalysts was studied in a three-electrode-compartment cell. AEMFCs with commercial Fe-Co based cathode catalysts and self-prepared Pt/Pd/Au anode catalysts have demonstrated exciting performances. For example, the AEMFC with 1.0 mg/cm² Fe-Co cathode catalyst and 1.0 mg/cm² Pt/C anode catalyst has demonstrated a peak power density of 89 mW/cm² at 80^oC and 2 atm backpressure of O₂ , which repents 20 times and 3 orders of magnitude higher than the proton exchange membrane fuel cells (with high PtRu and Pt catalyst loadings) and state-of-the-art biofuel cells (with enzymatic catalysts), respectively.  The detailed electrocatalytic study of AEMFCs will be presented.