Direct Glucose Fuel Cell: Noble Metal Catalyst Anode Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cell with Glucose Fuel

Abstract

A constant flow glucose-oxygen fuel cell has been demonstrated using noble metal catalysis. The fuel cell is based on anode catalysts and Pt cathode. Operation of this cell under various concentrations of glucose has revealed the presence of a region of the polarization curve in which additional polarization leads to a decrease in current rather than the expected increase. We postulate that the appearance of this polarization loss is due to the adsorption of by-product lactones to the surface which is not desorbed under normal operating conditions, but instead decreases the number of catalytic sites over time, resulting in lower currents.