Fuel Cells

Fuel Cells generate electricity by reacting a fuel with an oxidant. Often this is reacting hydrogen with oxygen. 1) Platinum catalyses the breakdown of hydrogen into electrons and protons at the anode 2) A polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) separating the anode and cathode only allows H+ ions across it. This forces the electrons to travel around the circuit to get to the cathode 3) The movement of the electrons through the circuit generates the electric current 4) At the cathode the H+ and the electrons combine with oxygen (the oxidant) to form water, the only waste product 5) Unreacted hydrogen is collected and can be reused

F Fuel In

A Anode

Unused Fuel Out

Polymer Electrolyte Membrane

O Oxidant In

Cathode +
Water Out

This method of producing energy is far less polluting as water is the only waste product. However most hydrogen is made from reacting natural gas with steam or by electrolysing water, both of which use huge amounts of energy and fossil fuels. So the method is only as green as the method by which it is produced. A fuel cell like this is also at least twice as efficient at converting fuel to power as a petrol engine.

Fuel Cells Dont Have To Use Hydrogen

Fuel cells are being developed that can use other hydrogen rich compounds such as methanol and ethanol. The advantages of these are:
1. They have a higher hydrogen density that liquid hydrogen More

hydrogen atoms per unit volume

2. They are already made on a large scale using renewable biomass 3. Methanol and Ethanol are far easier and safer to store and transport that

Hydrogen (when in liquid or gas state)

4. Methanol can be made from carbon dioxide so may offer a way to reduce

carbon dioxide in the atmosphere Some new generation fuel cells can use alcohols directly; the alcohol is oxidised at the anode with water. The H+ ions then pass through the electrolyte and are oxidised themselves to water. e.g.

Breathalysers
The amount of alcohol in someones breath is directly related to the amount in their blood stream. Alcohol diffuses from the blood into the airways and so is breathed out; a breathalyser can be used to measure the alcohol in the breath.
1. Older breathalysers use the reaction between ethanol and potassium

dichromate (VI). The orange dichromate (VI) is reduced to green dichromate (III) as ethanol is oxidised to ethanoic acid. The colour change can be measured using a photocell system and hence the level alcohol in the breath. These are often used as roadside tests.
2. Breathalysers in police stations use infrared spectroscopy to detect and

measure the levels of alcohol in the persons system. They are accurate but not easily portable.
3. Newer breathalysers use an ethanol fuel cell; the persons breath is fed to

the anode of the cell, the current produced from this is proportional to the amount of alcohol in their breath. These tests are portable and less susceptible to false readings from other compounds than traditional roadside breathalysers.