Abstract:
Five imidazolium-based ionic liquids were used as the electrolytes and their effects on the performance of fuel cell were investigated in a free electrolyte fuel cell. The results indicated that with H
2 as fuel, the cell potential and the power density at the same current density decrease following the sequence of BmimBF
4 > BmimPF
6 > NaOH >> BmimCl > BmimBr > BmimHSO
4; on the contrary, when methane is used as fuel, the cell potential and the power density decrease following the sequence of BmimBr > BmimHSO
4 > BmimCl > NaOH > BmimBF
4 > BmimPF
6. When BmimBF
4 is used as the electrolyte of H
2 fuel cell, both of the cell potential and the power density decrease with the increase of temperature and water content in the ionic liquid.