Creation of novel direct alchol fuel cell using biopolymer chitin and Determination of its optimal operating condition

2020 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K11741
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 64050:Sound material-cycle social systems-related
• Research Institution: Setsunan University
• Principal Investigator: Matsuo Yasumitsu 摂南大学, 理工学部, 教授 (20245294)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2021-03-31
• Keywords: 生体高分子 / 燃料電池 / キチン

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In order to investigate the optimum operating conditions of a direct ethanol fuel cell (DEFC) using chitin and chitosan, which are a tissue-derived biopolymer, we have fabricated DEFC using chitin and chitosan as the fuel cell electrolyte and investigated its properties. It was found that chitin and chitosan are highly alcohol-nontransparent and become the electrolyte for DEFC. Furthermore, it was also found that the fuel cell electrolyte with the mixing ratio of chitin(0.6) and chitosan(0.4) has highly alcohol-nontransparent and becomes high output density.

Free Research Field

燃料電池

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

これまでの燃料電池電解質は、生分解性のない化学合成物質であったが、本研究により生分解性を持ち、通常は廃棄される多糖類 "キチン・キトサン" が新しい燃料電池材料として利用できることがわかった。これらの結果により、生体由来高分子を用いた燃料電池が循環型社会の実現において期待される「環境負荷のない新規エネルギー源」として発展することが期待される。