A Paper-Based Microfluidic Fuel Cell Using Soft Drinks as a Renewable Energy Source

Jaime Hernández Rivera, David Ortega Díaz, Diana María Amaya Cruz, Juvenal Rodríguez-Reséndiz, Juan Manuel Olivares Ramírez, Andrés Dector, Diana Dector, Rosario Galindo and Hilda Esperanza Esparza Ponce
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Jaime Hernández Rivera: Centro de Investigación en Materiales Avanzados, Chihuahua 31136, Mexico
David Ortega Díaz: Instituto Tecnológico de San Juan del Río, Querétaro 76800, Mexico
Diana María Amaya Cruz: Facultad de Ingeniería, Universidad Autónoma de Querétaro, Campus Amealco, Querétaro 76010, Mexico
Juvenal Rodríguez-Reséndiz: Facultad de Ingeniería, Universidad Autónoma de Querétaro, Querétaro 76010, Mexico
Juan Manuel Olivares Ramírez: Renewable Energy Department, Universidad Tecnológica de San Juan del Río, Querétaro 76800, Mexico
Andrés Dector: Renewable Energy Department, CONACYT–Universidad Tecnológica de San Juan del Río, Querétaro 76800, Mexico
Diana Dector: Centro de Investigación en Materiales Avanzados, Chihuahua 31136, Mexico
Rosario Galindo: CONACYT–División de Ciencias Naturales y Exactas, Universidad de Guanajuato, Guanajuato 36050, Mexico
Hilda Esperanza Esparza Ponce: Centro de Investigación en Materiales Avanzados, Chihuahua 31136, Mexico

Energies, 2020, vol. 13, issue 10, 1-13

Abstract: The research aims were to construct an air-breathing paper-based microfluidic fuel cell (paper-based μ FC) and to evaluated it with different soft drinks to provide energy for their prospective use in portable devices as an emergency power source. First, in a half-cell configuration, cyclic voltammetry showed that glucose, maltose, and fructose had specific oxidation zones in the presence of platinum-ruthenium on carbon (PtRu/C) when they were individual. Still, when they were mixed, glucose was observed to be oxidized to a greater extent than fructose and maltose. After, when a paper-based μ FC was constructed, PtRu/C and platinum on carbon (Pt/C) were used as anode and cathode, the performance of this μ FC was mostly influenced by the concentration of glucose present in each soft drink, obtaining maximum power densities at room temperature of 0.061, 0.063, 0.060, and 0.073 mW cm − 2 for Coca Cola ® , Pepsi ® , Dr. Pepper ® , and 7up ® , respectively. Interestingly, when the soft drinks were cooled, the performance was increased up to 85%. Furthermore, a four-cell stack μ FC was constructed to demonstrate its usefulness as a possible power supply, obtaining a power density of 0.4 mW cm − 2 , using Coca Cola ® as fuel and air as oxidant. Together, the results of the present study indicate an alternative application of an μ FC using soft drinks as a backup source of energy in emergencies.

Keywords: fuel cell application; microfluidic fuel cell; power supply; soft drinks (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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