TITLE:
Collagen-Based Fuel Cell and Its Proton Transfer
AUTHORS:
Yasumitsu Matsuo, Hiroki Ikeda, Takashi Kawabata, Junko Hatori, Hiroshi Oyama
KEYWORDS:
Fuel Cell, Proton Conductor, Electrolyte, Biomaterials
JOURNAL NAME:
Materials Sciences and Applications,
Vol.8 No.11,
October
10,
2017
ABSTRACT: We have fabricated the
fuel cell based on the tissue derived biomaterial “collagen” and investigated
its proton transfer. It was found that “collagen” becomes the electrolyte of
fuel cell in the humidified condition. The power density of the fuel cell
becomes typically 8.6 W/m2 in the 80% humidity. Further, these
results indicate that collagen exhibits proton conductivity in the humidified
condition. Both of proton conductivity and dielectric constant increase by the
increase of humidity. From the analyses of the frequency dependence of AC
conductivity, it was found that proton conductivity and the dielectric
dispersion observed in the humidified condition are caused by the formation of
the water bridge, which is bonded with the collagen peptide chain. Considering
that hydration induces the formation of the water bridge and that increases
proton conductivity and dielectric constant, it is deduced that proton transfer
in the fuel cell based on collagen is caused by the breaking and rearrangement
of hydrogen bond in the water bridge.