Effect of imidazolium-based ionic liquids as electrolytes on the performance of fuel cell

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 H₂ as fuel, the cell potential and the power density at the same current density decrease following the sequence of BmimBF₄ > BmimPF₆ > NaOH >> BmimCl > BmimBr > BmimHSO₄; on the contrary, when methane is used as fuel, the cell potential and the power density decrease following the sequence of BmimBr > BmimHSO₄ > BmimCl > NaOH > BmimBF₄ > BmimPF₆. When BmimBF₄ is used as the electrolyte of H₂ fuel cell, both of the cell potential and the power density decrease with the increase of temperature and water content in the ionic liquid.