Smith, K;
Foglia, F;
Clancy, AJ;
Brett, DJL;
Miller, TS;
(2023)
Nafion Matrix and Ionic Domain Tuning for High-Performance Composite Proton Exchange Membranes.
Advanced Functional Materials
10.1002/adfm.202304061.
(In press).
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Abstract
Although proton exchange membranes (PEMs) are widely deployed in an array of commercial applications, limitations linked to their proton conductivity, water retention, and gas permeability still limit ultimate device performance. While ex situ studies have shown additives can enhance membrane stability and mass transport, to date few have demonstrated that these performance enhancements are maintained when tested in commercially relevant electrochemical technologies, such as fuel cells or electrolyzers. Herein, a new multifunctional additive, 2D poly(triazine imide) (PTI), is demonstrated for composite PEMs, which is shown to boost proton conductivity by 37% under optimal high relative humidity (RH) conditions and 67% at low RHs. PTI also enables major improvements (over 55%) in both current and power densities in industrially relevant PEM fuel cells (PEMFCs). Most importantly, in situ and ex situ characterization suggests that the enhanced performance is due to polymer aggregate-PTI clusters that form with increasing 2D character and improved long-range connectivity, while acid-base interactions with pyridinic nitrogen facilitate the critical proton hopping mechanism at all RHs. Hence, this work offers both a new membrane concept with proven benefits for important electrochemical technologies, as well as design principles for future optimization of proton transport and water management within PEMs.
Type: | Article |
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Title: | Nafion Matrix and Ionic Domain Tuning for High-Performance Composite Proton Exchange Membranes |
Open access status: | An open access version is available from UCL Discovery |
DOI: | 10.1002/adfm.202304061 |
Publisher version: | https://doi.org/10.1002/adfm.202304061 |
Language: | English |
Additional information: | © 2023 The Authors. Advanced Functional Materials published by Wiley-VCH GmbH. This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. |
Keywords: | carbon nitride, fuel cells, membrane additives, PEMs, ultrasonic spray printing |
UCL classification: | UCL UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS > Faculty of Engineering Science UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS > Faculty of Maths and Physical Sciences UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS > Faculty of Engineering Science > Dept of Chemical Engineering UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS > Faculty of Maths and Physical Sciences > Dept of Chemistry |
URI: | https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10172821 |
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