Long-term room-temperature hydrazine/air fuel cells based on low-cost nanotextured Cu–Ni catalysts

• A novel nanotextured copper–nickel anode/hydrazine fuel cell device was demonstrated.
• The fuel cell device exhibits long-term stability for continuous operation, up to ∼2000 h.
• The new fuel cell makes use of low-cost catalysts and exhibits high electrochemical performances.
• This fuel cell is effectively operated at RT; higher temperatures up to 60 °C improve its efficiency.
• Design optimization is expected to improve its working life, as well as its electrochemical efficiency.

We present here a long-term room-temperature (RT) direct-liquid hydrazine/air fuel cell device. This hydrazine/air fuel cell is based on low-cost easily-prepared nanotextured Cu–Ni anodes as the hydrazine (Hz) catalyst, combined with a commercial anion-exchange membrane film and a commercial air cathode. In addition, our hydrazine/air fuel cell consists on an improved novel design that results in remarkably high mechanical and chemical stabilities for long periods of operation. This hydrazine/air fuel cell can operates continuously for about ∼2000 h (limited mainly by cathode and membrane deterioration) with continuous fuel supply, and supplies about 0.58 V at 1 A (14.3 mA cm−2, with a discharge efficiency of about 70% (drift is less than 0.01% h−1), and appears to be suitable for mass production. The use of optimally-combined multi-metal electrodes suggests the possibility to create novel catalysts of improved electrochemical efficiency and stability. Our fuel cell devices can find broad applications in different civilian and military field mobile and stationary uses, for instance, in future fuel-cell operated vehicles and stationary back-up power electrical stations.