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Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: http://arks.princeton.edu/ark:/88435/dsp01zk51vg88p
Title: Comparison of Alcohol Electrooxidation on Platinum Monolayers in Alkaline Media
Authors: Desai, Kavya Basavaraj
Advisors: Koel, Bruce E.
Department: Chemical and Biological Engineering
Class Year: 2013
Abstract: This research was performed to better understand the performance of Platinum and Palladium electrodes in direct alcohol fuel cells. In the experiment, a variety of catalysts [polycrystalline Pt, polycrystalline Pd, Pt(111), Pd(111) and PtML/Pd(111)] were tested in a variety of alcohol fuels (methanol, ethanol, npropanol, isopropanol, ethylene glycol and glycerol). Performance of the various catalyst and fuel combinations indicated that certain fuels performed more optimally on specific catalysts. For the polycrystalline electrodes, Pt showed optimal activity with glycerol and Pd demonstrated optimal activity with methanol, ethanol and n-propanol. For both single crystal electrodes, Pt(111) and Pd(111) optimal activity was with ethanol and n-propanol. In the PtML/Pd(111) electrode, overall activity for all fuels was low; however, the highest activity fuels were glycerol, ethanol and n-propanol. As expected PtML/Pd(111) behaved in a similar way to Pt(111) although overall peak activity levels were lower than that of the bulk electrode. For application purposes, it would be necessary to explore the trade-offs between cost, performance and stability.
Extent: 81 pages
URI: http://arks.princeton.edu/ark:/88435/dsp01zk51vg88p
Access Restrictions: Walk-in Access. This thesis can only be viewed on computer terminals at the Mudd Manuscript Library.
Language: en_US
Appears in Collections:Chemical and Biological Engineering, 1931-2024

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