ABSTRACT
Crude oil-based gasoline fuels have been widely used in the transportation sector since the 1920s. However, there have been great public concerns over the adverse environmental impact of these fuels. Hence, biomass-based bioethanol fuels have increasingly been used in blending gasoline fuels and in fuel cells. In the meantime, the research in nanotechnology has intensified in recent years. The research in fuel cells has also intensified in recent years in three primary research streams solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs), polymer electrode membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs), and microbial fuel cells (MFCs). The research in the direct ethanol fuel cells (DEFCs) has been a stream of the research on the PEMFCs. On the other hand, the research on the direct utilization of bioethanol fuels in these DEFCs has intensified in recent years, primarily in the research fronts of the ethanol electrooxidation on the platinum (Pt) electrocatalysts and the palladium (Pd) electrocatalysts for the DEFCs. The other research fronts are the ethanol electrooxidation on both Pt and Pd electrocatalysts and the other electrocatalysts, the other issues in the ethanol electrooxidation, and the DEFCs themselves. Further, the focus of the research has been on the development of nanomaterials and conventional materials for the most efficient processes for ethanol electrooxidation and the DEFCs. However, it is essential to develop efficient incentive structures for the primary stakeholders to enhance the research in this field. As there has not been any scientometric study on bioethanol fuel cells, this book chapter presents a scientometric study of the research in bioethanol fuel cells. It examines the scientometric characteristics of both the sample and population data presenting the scientometric characteristics of these both datasets in the order of documents, authors, publication years, institutions, funding bodies, source titles, countries, Scopus subject categories, keywords, and research fronts.
