AIR-SPIRIT FUEL CELL Russian patent published in 2004 - IPC

FIELD: fuel cells; air-spirit fuel cells for building generators about them. SUBSTANCE: proposed fuel cell has anode chamber holding catalyst-active liquid anode, air chamber accommodating catalyst- active gas-diffusion cathode, electrolytic chamber holding liquid and membrane electrolytes dispose between cathode and anode; aqueous alkali solution is used here as liquid electrolyte and non-platinum catalyst tolerant to spirit, as cathode catalyst. Porous matrix such as asbestos one impregnated with alkali electrolyte or anion-exchange membrane, for instance that made of polybenzimidazole doped with OH ions can be used as membrane electrolyte. Double-layer gas-diffusion electrode incorporating water-absorbing barrier layer facing electrolyte chamber and active layer facing air chamber or water-repelling barrier layer facing air chamber and active layer facing electrolyte chamber can be used as cathode. Anode can be built of active layer incorporating 3 ÷ 7 mass percent of fluoroplastic and polybenzimidazole base membrane, of active layer incorporating 2 ÷ 7 mass percent of polybenzimidazole and polybenzimidazole base membrane, of polybenzimidazole filled porous nickel band and active layer incorporating 3 ÷ 7 mass percent of fluoroplastic, of polybenzimidazole filled porous nickel band and active layer incorporating 2 ÷ 7 mass percent of polybenzimidazole, or of polybenzimidazole impregnated asbestos and active layer incorporating 3 ÷ 7 mass percent of fluoroplastic and 2 ÷ 7 mass percent of polybenzimidazole. Used as anode catalyst is nickel-ruthenium system and as cathode catalyst, carbon-carried silver with silver content of 7 ÷ 18 mass percent. Carbon black or graphite of specific surface area of 60 ÷ 80 m²/g can be used as carbon medium for silver catalyst. Carbon-carried pyrolized polymers of N₄ complexes with pyrolized polymer content of 10 ÷ 20 mass percent can be used as cathode catalyst. Carbon black or graphite with specific surface area of minimum 60 ÷ 80 m²/g can be used here as carbon medium. Rhenium nickel can be used in anode catalyst of nickel-ruthenium system, Ni : Al ratio being 50 : 50. Rhenium nickel may include in addition molybdenum dope, Ni : Al: Mo ratio being 40 : 50 : 10. Anode catalyst can be promoted in addition with platinum. Platinum and ruthenium content in catalyst may be 8 ÷ 15 mass percent with platinum content of 0.08 ÷ 0.3 mass percent. Platinum and ruthenium may be contained in anode catalyst in the form of Pt-Ru alloy crystals measuring 5 ÷ 7 mm with specific surface area of 45 ÷ 60 m²/g. Anode can be made as three-layer structure incorporating porous base, polybenzimidazole filled and electrolyte facing layer, and active layer incorporating catalyst and polybenzimidazole. EFFECT: enhanced efficiency and reduced cost of air-spirit fuel cell. 26 cl, 1 dwg, 2 ex