(94f) Electrochemical Activity of Non-Noble Metal Alloy As Catalyst Towards Oxidation of Glycerol in Acidic Media: A Case for the Conceptual Glycerol/Ferric Redox Flow Battery

Electrochemical activity of non-noble metal alloy
as catalyst towards oxidation of glycerol in acidic media: A case for
the Conceptual Glycerol/Ferric Redox Flow Battery

James Akrasi, Egwu Kalu and Yaw Yeboah

FAMU-FSU
College of Engineering

Department
of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, Tallahassee, Florida. 32310

The
electrochemical oxidation of glycerol has been studied and known to be a source
of several chemicals of premium industrial value and has also been utilized in
the concept of direct glycerol fuel cells to produce electrical energy
additionally[1]. In the current study however, this concept is extended to
cover both electrochemical oxidation and reduction of glycerol as a substitute
for the hydrogen ion in redox flow battery with a Fe2+/Fe3+ couple as cathode
[2]. A predictive thermodynamic analysis has been developed and applied to the
study and proof of this conceptual glycerol redox flow battery. Reactions
toward electrochemical formation of several partial oxidation and reduction
products of glycerol in acidic media under discharge and charging conditions of
the proposed glycerol flow battery are presented. Free energy values of the
reaction species as estimated by the Group Additivity Value (GAV) method were
used to determine the feasibility of these proposed reaction towards
cogeneration of electricity and commodity chemicals. The equilibrium voltages
representing the maximum electrical work under these conditions are also
computed. Experimental validation of this theoretical concept has also been
investigated using electrochemical methods to study the electro-catalytic
activity of electrolessly deposited NiCuSnP supported on carbon towards
glycerol oxidation in acidic medium as anode in a proton exchange
membrane-glycerol redox flow battery.

References

1.      Li
W., Xin L., Zhang Z., Wang Z.,. (2012) Simultaneous Generation of Mesoxalic
Acid and Electricity from Glycerol on a Gold Anode Catalyst in Anion-Exchange
Membrane Fuel Cells ChemCatChem Vol 4 1105-1114

2.      Khalid
Fatih K, Wilkinson D., Moraw F., Ilicic A and Girarda F Advancements in the
Direct Hydrogen Redox Fuel Cell Electrochemical and Solid-State Letters, 11
2 B11-B15 (2008)