CO2 emission free co-generation of energy and ethylene in hydrocarbon SOFC reactors with a dehydrogenation anode.

A dehydrogenation anode is reported for hydrocarbon proton conducting solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs). A Cu-Cr(2)O(3) nanocomposite is obtained from CuCrO(2) nanoparticles as an inexpensive, efficient, carbon deposition and sintering tolerant anode catalyst. A SOFC reactor is fabricated using a Cu-Cr(2)O(3) composite as a dehydrogenation anode and a doped barium cerate as a proton conducting electrolyte. The protonic membrane SOFC reactor can selectively convert ethane to valuable ethylene, and electricity is simultaneously generated in the electrochemical oxidative dehydrogenation process. While there are no CO(2) emissions, traces of CO are present in the anode exhaust when the SOFC reactor is operated at over 700 °C. A mechanism is proposed for ethane electro-catalytic dehydrogenation over the Cu-Cr(2)O(3) catalyst. The SOFC reactor also has good stability for co-generation of electricity and ethylene at 700 °C.

An integral proton conducting SOFC for simultaneous production of ethylene and power from ethane.

A novel, integral, tri-layered, proton conducting membrane SOFC was readily fabricated for simultaneous conversion of ethane at 650-700 degrees C to electrical power and ethylene with high selectivity.

Emission of ethylene oxide during frying of foods in soybean oil.

High levels of ethylene oxide (EO) and acetaldehyde (AE) were detected, using gas chromatography and a portable gas detector, among volatile organic compounds (VOC) emitted during simulated frying of herbs and spices in soybean oil at temperatures between 120 degrees C and 200 degrees C. Both EO and AE were distributed between the gas phase and oil phase after cooking each vegetable at 150 degrees C for 5min under either nitrogen or air at 1atm. EO concentrations in the gas phase (25-75ppm) exceeded the threshold limit value of 1ppm, the TLV TWA value established by the American Conference of Government Industrial Hygienists and permitted by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. EO has been identified as a significant carcinogen. Thus, while no causal relationship can be concluded from this study, the results suggest a possible relationship between the high levels of EO emitted during frying and the high incidence of lung cancer among Taiwanese women engaged in traditional cooking.

Propane fuel cells using phosphoric-acid-doped polybenzimidazole membranes.

Propane fuel cells using H(3)PO(4)-doped polybenzimidazole polymer membranes produce low and unsustainable current densities at temperatures up to 250 degrees C under anhydrous conditions. Stable intermediate species blocked the surface of noble metal anode catalysts, and the intermediate species could not react further into desorbable final products. In contrast, when water was introduced by light humidification (S(r) 0.08%) of the propane stream, sustainable and higher current densities were achieved. Water participated in the reaction sequence to form surface-bound hydrocarbon and then oxygen-containing intermediates and thereby generated CO and CO(2) as the only carbon-containing products.