Carbon nanotubes/aluminum composite as a hydrogen source for PEMFC

• We fabricated CNTs/Al composite by spark plasma sintering (SPS) method.
• Hydrogen generation rate increased with CNT content in Al matrix.
• Hydrogen generation rate increased by large reaction area of porous structure.
• CO-free, high purity hydrogen achieved from the hydrolysis of CNTs/Al composite.
• 3.5 g of the 5 vol.% CNTs/Al composite produced electricity at 10 A for 13 min.

Al matrix composites reinforced with 0–5 vol. % carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were fabricated by spark plasma sintering (SPS) to examine their hydrogen generation properties from the hydrolysis of Al in 10 wt. % NaOH solution at room temperature. The 5 vol. % CNTs/Al composite exhibits a maximum hydrogen generation rate of 120 ml/min g, which is about 6 times higher than that of Al without CNTs due to the synergetic effects of the porous Al matrix, which has a large reaction area and galvanic corrosion between the Al matrix and the CNTs. The hydrogen gas generated from the hydrolysis of the CNTs/Al composite has high purity without any production of undesirable CO. PEMFC produced electricity at 10 A and 0.73 V for 13 min, with hydrogen generated from the hydrolysis of 3.5 g–5 vol. % CNTs/Al composite. The CNTs/Al composite was effectively used as a hydrogen source for PEMFC.