IBrazil ingumkhiqizi omkhulu we-niobium emhlabeni futhi ibamba cishe amaphesenti angama-98 ezinqolobane ezisebenzayo emhlabeni. Lesi sakhi samakhemikhali sisetshenziswa kuma-alloys ensimbi, ikakhulukazi insimbi enamandla amakhulu, futhi kuhlelo olucishe lungenamkhawulo lwezinhlelo zokusebenza zobuchwepheshe obuphezulu ukusuka komakhalekhukhwini kuya ezinjinini zezindiza. IBrazil ithumela kwamanye amazwe iningi le-niobium eyikhiqizayo ngendlela yezimpahla ezifana ne-ferronobium.

Enye into i-Brazil nayo inazo ngobuningi obukhulu kodwa engasetshenziswa kancane i-glycerol, i-byproduct kawoyela namafutha e-saponification embonini yensipho neyokuhlanza, kanye nokusabela kwe-transesterification embonini ye-biodiesel. Kulesi simo isimo sibi nakakhulu ngoba i-glycerol ivame ukulahlwa njengemfucuza, futhi ukulahlwa okufanele kwevolumu enkulu kuyinkimbinkimbi.

Ucwaningo olwenziwa e-Federal University of the ABC (UFABC) eSão Paulo State, Brazil, luhlanganise i-niobium ne-glycerol kusixazululo esithembisayo sezobuchwepheshe sokukhiqizwa kwamaseli kaphethiloli. I-athikili echaza lolu cwaningo, enesihloko esithi "Niobium ithuthukisa umsebenzi we-electrocatalytic Pd kumaseli e-alkaline eqondile e-glycerol fuel," ishicilelwe ku-ChemElectroChem futhi ifakwe kukhava yephephabhuku.

“Eqinisweni, iseli lizosebenza njengebhethri eliphehlwa nge-glycerol ukuze liphinde lishaje imishini emincane kagesi efana nomakhalekhukhwini noma amalaptop. Ingasetshenziswa ezindaweni ezingavalwanga yigridi kagesi. Kamuva ubuchwepheshe bungashintshwa ukuze busebenze izimoto ezisebenza ngogesi ngisho nokuphakela ugesi ezindlini. Kunezicelo ezingenamkhawulo ezingase zibe khona ngokuhamba kwesikhathi,” usokhemisi uFelipe de Moura Souza, umbhali wokuqala wale ndatshana etshela. USouza unomfundaze oqondile wobudokotela ovela eSão Paulo Research Foundation—FAPESP.

Engqamuzaneni, amandla amakhemikhali avela ekuphenduleni kwe-glycerol oxidation ku-anode kanye nokunciphisa umoya-mpilo womoya ku-cathode aguqulwa abe ugesi, kushiye kuphela i-carbon gas namanzi njengezinsalela. Ukusabela okuphelele yi-C3H8O3 (i-glycerol ewuketshezi) + 7/2 O2 (igesi ye-oxygen) → 3 CO2 (igesi yekhabhoni) + 4 H2O (amanzi awuketshezi). Ukumelwa kohlelo lwenqubo kuboniswe ngezansi.

“I-Niobium [Nb] ibamba iqhaza kule nqubo njenge-co-catalyst, isiza isenzo se-palladium [Pd] esetshenziswa njenge-anode ye-fuel cell. Ukwengezwa kwe-niobium kwenza inani le-palladium lihlukaniswe ngohhafu, kwehlise izindleko zeseli. Ngesikhathi esifanayo kwandisa kakhulu amandla esitokisini. Kodwa umnikelo wayo omkhulu ukuncipha kobuthi be-electrolytic ku-palladium obubangelwa i-oxidation ye-intermediate ekhangiswa kakhulu ekusebenzeni kwesikhathi eside kweseli, njenge-carbon monoxide, "kusho uMauro Coelho dos Santos, uprofesa e-UFABC. , umeluleki wethisisi yeziqu zobudokotela eziqondile zika-Souza, kanye nomphenyi oyinhloko wocwaningo.

Ngokombono wezemvelo, okufanele kunanini ngaphambili kube yinkomba enqumayo ekukhethweni kwezobuchwepheshe, i-glycerol fuel cell ithathwa njengesixazululo esihle ngoba ingangena esikhundleni sezinjini ezivuthayo ezinikwa amandla ngamafutha ezinto ezimbiwa phansi.