mattrg - 13-10-2006 at 14:34
Hello everyone, I am new here, and have decided to build a hydrogen fuel cell. I plan to use KOH as the electrolyte rather than the Nafion membranes
for cost issues right now. I will be using chloroplatinic acid to plate platinum metal onto some 316 stainless steel wire screening as the
electrodes/catalyst. I plan to do something like 17.5cm^2 with 2mg of Pt./cm^2
For the fuel, I plan to use NaBH4. And will also try methanol.
How does this sound?I know there are much better things to increase performance, but I dont have much $$$ to spend. Will Pt. plate onto stainless
steel?Where can I get NaBH4 w/o paying for a hazardous materials charge? I am recieving some platinic acid from a trade, but anticipate needing more
later. Anyone know where one might find this?
A few other Qs: I have some platinum wire (REAL thin stuff at 44awg!). It is 92%Pt. and 8%tungsten. I also have some methanol. I have read that Pt.
wire will glow red in the presence of methanol, but mine does not. The methanol has almost no smell, but ignites really easily. So easily, that
brining a flame near the vapor ignites. Any ideas why this isnt working?Is there a way to remove the tungsten from the Pt?
Thanks guys!
Matt
cabrero - 1-12-2006 at 08:08
Hello.
In alkaline media, you dont need to use Pt;
-You can use Fe, Ni, and other cheap metals for the anode (reaction of hydrogen, MeOH, ....)
-MnOx is a good candidate for the oxygen electrode (cathode); you can prepare it by dipping a type of carbon (eg activated carbon, graphite....) in
KMnO4, or Mn2+ for a while, or by a modified "silar" method (first: dipping in Mn2+ following by inmersing in basic media );
You cant use Pt in the oxygen electrode (cathode) with MeOH, NaBH4, etc...; these will react at same time in the cathode and in the anode, and you
will no get emf; MnOx is selective to the reaction of oxygen, is not affected by fuel (have a high overvoltage in MeOH, NaBH4... oxidation).
You can also try others fuels: glucose, others alcohols, ....
Quince - 7-12-2006 at 00:41
Any progress?