Carbon-Based Nanomaterials in Biomass-Based Fuel-Fed Fuel Cells

Abstract

Environmental and sustainable economical concerns are generating a growing interest in biofuels predominantly produced from biomass. It would be ideal if an energy conversion device could directly extract energy from a sustainable energy resource such as biomass. Unfortunately, up to now, such a direct conversion device produces insufficient power to meet the demand of practical applications. To realize the future of biofuel-fed fuel cells as a green energy conversion device, efforts have been devoted to the development of carbon-based nanomaterials with tunable electronic and surface characteristics to act as efficient metal-free electrocatalysts and/or as supporting matrix for metal-based electrocatalysts. We present here a mini review on the recent advances in carbon-based catalysts for each type of biofuel-fed/biofuel cells that directly/indirectly extract energy from biomass resources, and discuss the challenges and perspectives in this developing field.

Keywords: biofuel cells; biomass; carbon nanodots; carbon nanotubes; carbon-based nanomaterials; graphene.

Figure 1

The conventional process and challenges in converting biomass sources into biofuels and ultimately generate energy in form of electricity.

Figure 2

Summary of applications and main advantages of different types fuel cells (CHP stands for combined heat and power systems. The power unit is Watt).

Figure 3

Carbon-based nanomaterials that have been and have potential to be used for biofuel-fed fuel cells.

Figure 4

Proposed biomimetic functionalized carbon nanotubes-based catalyst for direct breaking down of cellulose. Reprinted with permission from ref. [49]. Copyright 2011, RSC.

Figure 5

Power density of monosaccharide-based fuel cells using AuNPs/fMWCNTs as anodic catalyst in comparison with bare Au electrode. Reprinted with permission from ref. [66]. Copyright 2011, Elservier.

Figure 6

(A) Air-glucose fuel cell prototype and (B) its performance in terms of polarization and power density. Glucose concentration was 0.4 M in 0.3 M NaOH and 0.1 M PBS; temperature was 25 °C. The working voltage of the LED lamp was 2 V. Reprinted with permission from ref. [66]. Copyright 2011, Elsevier.

Figure 7

Ethanol oxidation reaction pathway.

Figure 8

Development of anodic catalytic materials for enhanced direct ethanol fuel cells using co-assembled PANI–PPY and functionalized carbon nanotubes matrices.

Figure 9

Fuel cell components and the assembly of hydrogen fuel cell with bioreactor.