Final Scientific Report, New Proton Conductive Composite Materials for PEM Fuel Cells

Lvov, Serguei

The Pennsylvania State University

关键词: Protons;    Membranes;    Water;    36 Materials Science;    Commercialization;   

DOI  :  10.2172/992071
RP-ID  :  DOE/GO16036R18
RP-ID  :  FG36-06GO16036
RP-ID  :  992071

美国|英语

来源: UNT Digital Library

【 摘 要 】

This project covered one of the main challenges in present-day PEM fuel cell technology: to design a membrane capable of maintaining high conductivity and mechanical integrity when temperature is elevated and water vapor pressure is severely reduced. The DOE conductivity milestone of 0.1 S cm-1 at 120 degrees C and 50 % relative humidity (RH) for designed membranes addressed the target for the project. Our approach presumed to develop a composite membrane with hydrophilic proton-conductive inorganic material and the proton conductive polymeric matrix that is able to “bridge” the conduction paths in the membrane. The unique aspect of our approach was the use of highly functionalized inorganic additives to benefit from their water retention properties and high conductivity as well. A promising result turns out that highly hydrophilic phosphorsilicate gels added in Nafion matrix improved PEM fuel cell performance by over 50% compared with bare Nafion membrane at 120 degrees C and 50 % RH. This achievement realizes that the fuel cell operating pressure can be kept low, which would make the PEM fuel cell much more cost efficient and adaptable to practical operating conditions and facilitate its faster commercialization particularly in automotive and stationary applications.