The nature of proton shuttling in protic ionic liquid fuel cells

Smith, Daniel E.; Walsh, Darren A.

Abstract

It has been proposed previously that protic ionic liquids (PILs) such as diethylmethylammonium triflate could be used as the electrolytes in nonhumidified, intermediate temperature H2 fuel cells, potentially offering the prospect of high conductivity and performance, even under anhydrous conditions. In this contribution, a combination of electroanalytical chemistry and fuel‐cell polarization analyses is used to demonstrate for the first time that the pure PILs cannot support proton shuttling between the electrodes of fuel cells. Only through the inclusion of dissolved acidic or basic proton shuttles can viable protic ionic fuel cells be fabricated, which has major consequences for the use of these neoteric electrolytes in fuel cells.

Citation

Smith, D. E., & Walsh, D. A. (2019). The nature of proton shuttling in protic ionic liquid fuel cells. Advanced Energy Materials, 9(24), Article 1900744. https://doi.org/10.1002/aenm.201900744

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Apr 23, 2019
• Online Publication Date: May 8, 2019
• Publication Date: May 8, 2019
• Deposit Date: May 29, 2019
• Publicly Available Date: May 9, 2020
• Journal: Advanced Energy Materials
• Print ISSN: 1614-6832
• Electronic ISSN: 1614-6840
• Publisher: Wiley
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 9
• Issue: 24
• Article Number: 1900744
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/aenm.201900744
• Keywords: Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment; General Materials Science
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/2105426
• Publisher URL: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/aenm.201900744
• Additional Information: This is the peer reviewed version of the following article: [FULL CITE], which has been published in final form at Smith, D. E., Walsh, D. A., The Nature of Proton Shuttling in Protic Ionic Liquid Fuel Cells. Adv. Energy Mater. 2019, 1900744. https://doi.org/10.1002/aenm.201900744 . This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with Wiley Terms and Conditions for Use of Self-Archived Versions.