FEASIBILITY STUDIES OF A FUEL-CELL FOR COGENERATION OF HOMOGENEOUSLY CATALYZED ACETALDEHYDE AND ELECTRICITY FROM ETHANOL

The development and feasibility of a novel fuel cell for simultaneousl y generating electricity and homogeneously catalyzed acetaldehyde from ethanol are reported, The fuel cell is based on the supported molten- salt electrocatalysis technique that allows use of homogeneous (liquid -phase) catalysts in fuel cells for the first time. The electrocatalyt ic reaction combines the chemistry of the Wacker process conventionall y used for acetaldehyde production from the partial oxidation of ethyl ene and that of the Veba-Chemie method. Nafion membranes impregnated w ith different electrolytic materials were used in the fuel cell as ele ctrolytes to allow operation at reaction temperatures up to 165 degree s C. Results obtained are comparable to those reported in the literatu re on partial oxidation of ethylene to acetaldehyde in a fuel cell bas ed on conventional heterogeneous electrocatalysts.