Oxidation Behaviors of Ash Free Coals in a Coin Type Direct Carbon Fuel Cell

Ash free coals (AFCs) extracted from bituminous, sub-bituminous, lignite, and anthracite coals were served as fuel in a direct carbon fuel cell (DCFC) and their oxidation behavior were investigated with electrochemical method of steady state polarization. AFCs were produced by a micro-wave method with a polar solvent of NMP. The electrochemical oxidation behaviors of AFCs were investigated in a coin type DCFC. The extraction yields are bituminous > sub-bituminous > lignite > anthracite. However, the open circuit voltages and voltages at a polarization state were similar among the AFCs. Regardless of the raw coal species the AFC has similar oxidation behavior in a direct carbon fuel cell.