2006, Volume 9, Issue 17+18
Evaluation of Proton Conductive Polymers as Electrolyte for H2/Air Fuel Cells
1 National Research Institute of Cryogenics and Isotopic Technologies
2 3 Nano-SAE Research Centre, University of Bucharest
3 National Institute of Research & Development for Technical Physics, 47 Mangeron Boulevard, 700050 Iasi, Romania;
*Corresponding author: Daniela Stoenescu, e-mail: office@icsi.ro
Published: October 2006Abstract
A series of polymer electrolytes membrane (PEM) materials, based on sulphonated ladder pyridine polymers and TiO2/SiO2 nanoparticles that enhance water retention and favors high temperature (>120°C) application are evaluated. Nanoparticles are used to keep water uptake at reasonable level of 20-38%. The evaluation of these PEMs resulted in a wide variation of proton conductivity in the range100-215 mS/cm and 60-85% relative humidity, have ion exchange coefficient 1.2-2 meq/g. Finally, test on fuel cells of 25 cm2 active areas with Pt catalyst shown a current density of 125-180 mA/cm2 at temperature of 110°C. The experiments over this temperature encountered other difficulties such as continuous drying of membranes and brittleness when the nanoparticles concentration is over the percolation threshold. Limits and performances of these polymers with different level of sulphonation are evaluated related to efficiency reported to other membranes such as Nafion-H.
Keywords
Polymer, membrane, proton, fuel cell.
Tag search Polymer membrane proton fuel cell
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ISSN 1582-2575
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