Consider a fuel cell: Pt1/H2 (0.5 atm)/NaOH (1M)/O2 (1 atm)/Pt2,
a) Which Pt electrode is the cathode and explain why?
b) What are two half cell reactions and their electrode potentials?
c) Calculate the cell equilibrium potential, Ecell (voltage difference between two Pt electrodes).
d) Sketch schematic current-potential curves for the two half reactions and explain why the cell can't maintain Ecell as the current increases. Neglect mass-transfer effects and assume the electrode reaction rates on both sides are same.