Enhancement of direct urea-hydrogen peroxide fuel cell performance by three-dimensional porous nickel-cobalt anode

• Published in: Journal of power sources Vol. 307; pp. 697 - 704
• Main Authors: Guo, Fen, Cao, Dianxue, Du, Mengmeng, Ye, Ke, Wang, Guiling, Zhang, Wenping, Gao, Yinyi, Cheng, Kui
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 01.03.2016
• Subjects: Fuel cell; Human urine; Hydrogen template; Porous nickel-cobalt film; Urea; Urea; Porous nickel-cobalt film; Human urine; Hydrogen template; Fuel cell
• ISSN: 0378-7753; 1873-2755
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jpowsour.2016.01.042

A novel three-dimensional (3D) porous nickel-cobalt (Ni-Co) film on nickel foam is successfully prepared and further used as an efficient anode for direct urea-hydrogen peroxide fuel cell (DUHPFC). By varying the cobalt/nickel mole ratios into 0%, 20%, 50%, 80% and 100%, the optimized Ni-Co/Ni foam anode with a ratio of 80% is obtained in terms of the best cell performance among five anodes. Effects of the KOH and urea concentrations, the flow rate and operation temperature on the fuel cell performance are investigated. Results show DUHPFC with the 3D Ni-Co/Ni foam anode exhibits a higher performance than those reported direct urea fuel cells. The cell gives an open circuit voltage of 0.83 V and a peak power density as high as 17.4 and 31.5 mW cm−2 at 20 °C and 70 °C, respectively, when operating on 7.0 mol L−1 KOH and 0.5 mol L−1 urea as the fuel at a flow rate of 15 mL min−1. Besides, when the human urine is directly fed as the fuel, direct urine-hydrogen peroxide fuel cell reaches a maximum power density of 7.5 mW cm−2 with an open circuit voltage of 0.80 V at 20 °C, showing a good application prospect in wastewater treatment. [Display omitted] •The 3D porous Ni-Co/Ni foam anode is prepared using hydrogen bubble template.•The DUHPFC performance is greatly enhanced by the Ni-Co/Ni foam anode.•The effects of KOH, urea concentration, flow rate and temperature are investigated.•DUHPFC fed with human urine as the fuel shows excellent performance.