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Nanostructured Carbon-Based Materials for Fuel Cell Applications

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Carbon Related Materials

Abstract

There are concerns regarding the depletion of the fossil-fuel resources and the destruction of the environment accompanied with drastic climate changes. Hence, researchers have derived attention on looking for an alternative clean, sustainable renewable, highly efficient energy conversion and storage technologies/systems. The fuel cell is one of the most promising renewable energy source that can provide a stable and constant energy output as long as fuel is supplied continuously. Currently, platinum-based metals are the best electrocatalysts for fuel cells applications. However, due to high cost of platinum, the large-scale synthesis and commercialisation of these electrocatalysts is challenging. Apart from its high cost, the Pt-based electrode also suffers from its susceptibility to time-dependent drift and CO deactivation, and it is unselective. For these reasons, many research groups are developing non-platinum electrocatalysts that are more active, stable and more economical. Carbon-based nanostructured and nanosized materials are widely applied to tackle these demanding challenges associated with energy conversion. Nanostructured carbon-based materials have received interest due to their fascinating physical and chemical properties. They have electronic behaviour ranging from metallic to semiconducting that depends on their structure, composition and chirality. In this chapter, numerous types of carbon nanomaterials such as carbon black, carbon nanofibers, carbon nanotubes and graphenes applied in the electrochemical activity of fuel cells are conversed.

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Acknowledgements

The authors immensely appreciate the financial support from the National Research Foundation (NRF) (UID Nos. 113561, 117727 and 117984), Tshwane University of Technology and University of Limpopo, South Africa.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Tshwane University of Technology, Arcadia Campus, Pretoria, 0001, South Africa

    Letlhogonolo Fortunate Mabena, Katlego Makgopa & Annie Stephanie Tanko-Djoubi

  2. Nanotechnology Research Lab, Department of Chemistry, School of Physical and Mineral Sciences, University of Limpopo (Turfloop), Sovenga, Polokwane, 0727, South Africa

    Kwena Desmond Modibane & Mpitloane Joseph Hato

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  1. Letlhogonolo Fortunate Mabena
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Kanagawa Institute of Industrial Science and Technology, Ebina, Kanagawa, Japan

    Satoru Kaneko

  2. Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Kagoshima University, Kagoshima, Japan

    Masami Aono

  3. Center for Surface Science and Nanotechnology, University Politehnica of Bucharest, București, Romania

    Alina Pruna

  4. Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Istanbul University, Istanbul, Turkey

    Musa Can

  5. Shibaura Institute of Technology, Tokyo, Japan

    Paolo Mele

  6. Faculty of Engineering, Ataturk University, Erzurum, Turkey

    Mehmet Ertugrul

  7. Japan Advanced Chemicals, Atsugi, Kanagawa, Japan

    Tamio Endo

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Mabena, L.F., Makgopa, K., Tanko-Djoubi, A.S., Modibane, K.D., Hato, M.J. (2021). Nanostructured Carbon-Based Materials for Fuel Cell Applications. In: Kaneko, S., et al. Carbon Related Materials. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-7610-2_15

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