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Urea-based fuel cells on paper with micro-watt power generation to drive low power circuits

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Abstract

This work demonstrates the application of urea-powered paper-based fuel cells (PFCs) with Hydrogen Peroxide (H2O2) as the oxidant to drive a flexible electronic circuit (ring oscillator (RO)), for the first time. Herein, the electrochemical performance of four different PFCs has been studied by employing non-precious electrodes as the anode and cathode. These are the membraneless PFC with (i) Toray carbon paper (CP) (ii) Nickel (Ni)-mesh (iii) Nickel Cobalt nanoparticles supported on reduced Graphene Oxide loaded on the CP (Ni Co@rGo@CP) and (iv) membrane-based PFC with Ni Co@rGo@CP as the electrodes. In each PFC the same electrode is employed on both the sides. A single membraneless-PFC with Ni-Co@rGo@CP as electrodes delivered a peak power density (Pmax) of 55 µW cm−2, maximum current density (Jmax) of 371 µA cm−2 and an open-circuit voltage (OCV) of 0.7 V at 3 M urea. While, a single membrane-based PFC assembled on an anion exchange membrane with Ni-Co@rGo@CP electrodes, delivered a Pmax of ≈70 µW cm−2 and Jmax of ≈500 µA cm−2 at an OCV of 0.7 V with 3 M urea. Subsequently, a stack of two membrane-based PFCs delivered an OCV of ≈1.4 V for 400 s. Finally, this stack is employed as a power source to drive a RO. The measured frequency and peak-to-peak voltage are 37.52 kHz and 1.04 V, respectively. This demonstration opens a window to implement self-contained flexible electronic system using PFCs as the power source with minimal e-waste.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the funding received from IISER Bhopal and the funding agency MoE-STARS (File no:. MoE-STARS/STARS-2/2023-0327) to carry out the research and experimental work pertaining to this work.

Funding

Ministry of Education, India, MoE-STARS/STARS-2/2023-0327, MoE-STARS/STARS-2/2023-0327, MoE-STARS/STARS-2/2023-0327, MoE-STARS/STARS-2/2023-0327

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Bhopal, Bhopal, 462066, Madhya Pradesh, India

    Sai Krishna & Sweta Lal

  2. Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Bhopal, Bhopal, 462066, Madhya Pradesh, India

    Suyash Shrivastva & Pydi Ganga Bahubalindruni

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  1. Sai Krishna
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  2. Sweta Lal
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SK: Experimental, Technical Investigations, Writing, Data Collection and analysis. SL: Writing, data Interpretation, data analysis, technical Investigation. SS: Experimental, Technical Investigations, Writing, data Interpretation, PG: Writing, data analysis, technical Investigation.

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Correspondence to Sweta Lal.

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Krishna, S., Lal, S., Shrivastva, S. et al. Urea-based fuel cells on paper with micro-watt power generation to drive low power circuits. J Appl Electrochem (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10800-024-02105-z

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