Issue 13, 2019

Post-assembly modification of polymeric composite membranes using spin drying for fuel cell applications

Abstract

Self-assembly of inter- and intraphases between the ionomer membrane and mechanical reinforcements in reinforced polymeric composite membranes is of great interest in both physics and chemistry, particularly for proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) application. One of the greatest challenges is to obtain an optimally structured polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE)-reinforced perfluorosulfonic acid (PFSA) composite membrane via solution processing. For high- performance and durable PEMFC applications, the self-assembly of interphases of the ionomers/reinforcements and intraphases of the ionomers in the composite PEM needs to be carefully tailored. Here, we show that post-assembly modification of a PTFE/PFSA composite membrane using a spin-drying method can significantly improve fuel cell performance and reliability. The forced assembly of PFSA ionomers during spinning results in greater infiltration yields into the porous PTFE media. In this way, spin-drying post-treatment results in lower gas crossover and improved mechanical durability. This process also yields larger regions of ionic clusters, which facilitate proton conduction at low relative humidity, affording higher fuel cell currents and greater efficiency.

Graphical abstract: Post-assembly modification of polymeric composite membranes using spin drying for fuel cell applications

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
02 Nov 2018
Accepted
08 Jan 2019
First published
08 Jan 2019

J. Mater. Chem. A, 2019,7, 7380-7388

Post-assembly modification of polymeric composite membranes using spin drying for fuel cell applications

K. A. Lee, K. R. Yoon, S. H. Kwon, K. J. Lee, S. Jo, J. S. Lee, K. Lee, S. W. Lee, S. G. Lee and J. Y. Kim, J. Mater. Chem. A, 2019, 7, 7380 DOI: 10.1039/C8TA10538C

To request permission to reproduce material from this article, please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

If you are an author contributing to an RSC publication, you do not need to request permission provided correct acknowledgement is given.

If you are the author of this article, you do not need to request permission to reproduce figures and diagrams provided correct acknowledgement is given. If you want to reproduce the whole article in a third-party publication (excluding your thesis/dissertation for which permission is not required) please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

Read more about how to correctly acknowledge RSC content.

Social activity

Spotlight

Advertisements