The combustion reaction for the pentane-oxygen fuel cell is:
C5H12(g)+8O2(g)→5CO2(g)+6H2O(l)
First, calculate the standard Gibbs free energy change (ΔrG∘) for the reaction:
ΔrG∘=∑ΔfG∘(products)−∑ΔfG∘(reactants)
ΔrG∘=[5×ΔfG∘(CO2)+6×ΔfG∘(H2O)]−[ΔfG∘(C5H12)+8×ΔfG∘(O2)]
ΔrG∘=[5(−394.4)+6(−237.2)]−[−8.2+8(0)]
ΔrG∘=[−1972.0−1423.2]+8.2
ΔrG∘=−3395.2+8.2=−3387.0 kJ/mol=−3387000 J/mol
Next, determine the number of moles of electrons transferred (n) in the balanced reaction. In 8O2, there are 16 oxygen atoms going from an oxidation state of 0 to −2. Thus, n=16×2=32 electrons.
Alternatively, for carbon in C5H12, the average oxidation state is −12/5, and it changes to +4 in CO2. Total change for 5 carbon atoms =5×[4−(−12/5)]=5×(32/5)=32.
Using the relation between ΔG∘ and Ecell∘:
ΔrG∘=−nFEcell∘
−3387000 J/mol=−32×96500 C/mol×Ecell∘
Ecell∘=32×965003387000=30880003387000≈1.0968 V.