H2-CO2 polymer electrolyte fuel cell that generates power while evolving CH4 at the Pt0.8Ru0.2/C cathode

• Published in: Scientific reports Vol. 11; no. 1; p. 8382
• Main Authors: Matsuda, Shofu, Niitsuma, Yuuki, Yoshida, Yuta, Umeda, Minoru
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 16.04.2021; Nature Publishing Group; Nature Portfolio
• Subjects: 639/4077/4057; 639/4077/893; Carbon dioxide; Carbon sequestration; Electric power; Electrolytes; Fuel cells; Fuel technology; Humanities and Social Sciences; Methane; multidisciplinary; Polymers; Science; Science (multidisciplinary)
• ISSN: 2045-2322; 2045-2322
• DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-87841-4

Generating electric power using CO 2 as a reactant is challenging because the electroreduction of CO 2 usually requires a large overpotential. Herein, we report the design and development of a polymer electrolyte fuel cell driven by feeding H 2 and CO 2 to the anode (Pt/C) and cathode (Pt 0.8 Ru 0.2 /C), respectively, based on their theoretical electrode potentials. Pt–Ru/C is a promising electrocatalysts for CO 2 reduction at a low overpotential; consequently, CH 4 is continuously produced through CO 2 reduction with an enhanced faradaic efficiency (18.2%) and without an overpotential (at 0.20 V vs. RHE) was achieved when dilute CO 2 is fed at a cell temperature of 40 °C. Significantly, the cell generated electric power (0.14 mW cm −2 ) while simultaneously yielding CH 4 at 86.3 μmol g −1 h −1 . These results show that a H 2 -CO 2 fuel cell is a promising technology for promoting the carbon capture and utilization (CCU) strategy.