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Improving Fuel Cells

Improving Fuel Cells. Alfie Davis, Sophia Kea, Eric Kwon, Nhu Nguyen. Objective. Produce a bipolar fuel cell from porous graphite, with nickel deposited on one side and medium chain alkene wax on the other, that has high enough performance to be marketable.

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Improving Fuel Cells

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  1. Improving Fuel Cells Alfie Davis, Sophia Kea, Eric Kwon, Nhu Nguyen

  2. Objective • Produce a bipolar fuel cell from porous graphite, with nickel deposited on one side and medium chain alkene wax on the other, that has high enough performance to be marketable. ***adding a layer of nickel to plug up graphite pores and reduce the permeability rate of hydrogen, reduces time to impregnate w/ wax **Saturating w/ wax can take ~month w/o Nickel

  3. Background • Fuel Cell: converts fuel into electrical energy via reaction. • Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) Fuel Cells : a polymer electrolyte membrane placed between an anode and cathode. • Bipolar Plate: connector between individual fuel cells to create fuel cell stacks. Picture reference: https://pubs.acs.org/doi/pdf/10.1021/acs.jchemed.7b00361

  4. Benchmarks **Resistivity of usual fuel cell bipoles, and what values are required Hydrogen gas permeability of injected wax • Maximum of 2x10-6 cm3 H2/cm2-s • High gas permeability decreases fuel cell efficiency and lifetime Tensile strength • Greater than 41 MPa *Instron

  5. Methods Electroplating • Aqueous Nickel solution • Using a galvanostat • Plating time < 1 hour Wax Impregnation • Medium chain alkene wax • Temperature > 100°C

  6. Methods Reference electrode Electroplating • Aqueous Nickel solution • Using a galvanostat • Plating time < 1 hour Wax Impregnation • Medium chain alkene wax • Temperature > 100°C

  7. Methods Counter electrode Reference electrode Electroplating • Aqueous Nickel solution • Using a galvanostat • Plating time < 1 hour Wax Impregnation • Medium chain alkene wax • Temperature > 100°C

  8. Wax Impregnating Apparatus • Wax maintained at >100°C • Insulation used to maintain temperature • Inner apparatus to hold the bipole in place and allow flow around the bipole • Temperature probe attached to the inner apparatus to record temperature closest to bipole

  9. Plating Inconsistencies *First sample was great, all downhill from there (for the most part) *Picture of good samples (sample 1) *Picture of poorly plated for example *Working to achieve consistent plating, details are undisclosable

  10. Thank you for listening! Any questions?

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