Département de chimie moléculaire

Mesoporous silicon membranes are functionalized with ammonium groups and evaluated as high efficient anion exchange membrane in a miniaturized alk. glucose fuel cell setup. N-Trimethoxysilylpropyl-N,N,N-trimethylammonium chloride is grafted onto the pore walls of porous silicon resulting in the anionic cond. enhancement. The functionalization process is followed by FTIR spectroscopy where the optimized parameter could be detd. The ionic cond. is measured using impedance spectroscopy and gives 5.6 mS cm- 1. These modified mesoporous silicon membranes are integrated in a specially designed miniature alk. (pH 13) glucose/air fuel cell prototype using a conventional platinum-carbon anode and a cobalt phthalocyanine-carbon nanotube cathode. The enhanced anion cond. of these membranes leads to peak power densities of 7 ± 0.12 mW cm- 2 at "air breathing" conditions at room temp. [on SciFinder(R)]