August 21, 2019
Journal Article

A Nanotube-Supported Dicopper Complex Enhances Pt-free Molecular H2/Air Fuel Cells

Abstract

A dinuclear copper complex mimicking the active site of copper oxidases was designed and ?-stacked on carbon-nanotube (CNT) electrode thanks to pendent pyrene groups. The high ORR activity of such CNT-supported dicopper complexes in pH 4 electrolyte allowed the construction of a Pt-free hydrogen/air fuel cell using bio-inspired nickel bisdiphosphine complexes immobilized onto CNT at the anode, with an order of magnitude improvement of the performance compared to previous literature data. This bio-inspired nickel- and copper-based H2/air fuel cell reaches a maximum power density of 0.15 mW cm-2 at 0.25 V and pH 4.

Revised: November 4, 2019 | Published: August 21, 2019

Citation

Gentil S., J. Molloy, M. Carriere, A. Hobballah, A. Dutta, S. Cosnier, and W.J. Shaw, et al. 2019. A Nanotube-Supported Dicopper Complex Enhances Pt-free Molecular H2/Air Fuel Cells. Joule 3, no. 8:2020-2029. PNNL-SA-143081. doi:10.1016/j.joule.2019.07.001