Direct Electricity Production From Coconut Oil - The Electrooxidation Of Coconut Oil In An Acid Electrolyte

Department of Process Engineering, University of Opole, Dmowskiego 7-9, 45-365 Opole, Poland

^* Corresponding author: pawel.wlodarczyk@uni.opole.pl

Abstract

Supplying more and more energy is an essential task of today's energy industry. In the last few decades, in addition to traditional methods of energy production, alternative energy sources have been developing at a fast rate. One of the devices that can use these sources is the fuel cell (FC). FCs can be a power source of the future mainly due to their high efficiency, their low impact on the environment and the possibility of powering with different fuels. Most often, FCs are powered by hydrogen. However, issues with its cheap production and storage are the reasons for seeking new fuels for FCs. Yet it must be a fuel that will provide a zero or low emission level. One of these fuels can be vegetable oil. The paper presents the measurements for the electrooxidation of coconut oil emulsion on a platinum electrode (with smooth surfaces). The electrooxidation was performed in an aqueous solution of H₂SO₄. Electrochemical measurements were performed in a glass cell with three electrodes. The obtained maximum current density was equal to 21 mA/cm². Therefore, there is a fundamental possibility of direct electricity production from coconut oil with acid electrolyte.