Direct Glucose Fuel Cell: Noble Metal Catalyst Anode Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cell with Glucose Fuel

A 1 cm(2) constant flow glucose-oxygen fuel cell has been demonstrated using noble metal catalysis. The fuel cell is based on Pt-RuO2 anode catalysts and Pt cathode. Operation of this cell under various concentrations of glucose has revealed the presence of a region of the polarization curve in which additional polarization leads to a decrease in current rather than the expected increase. We postulate that the appearance of this polarization loss is due to the adsorption of by-product lactones to the Pt-RuO2 surface which is not desorbed under normal operating conditions, but instead decreases the number of catalytic sites over time, resulting in lower currents. (C) 2009 The Electrochemical Society. [DOI:10.1149/1.3248004] All rights reserved.