Bharath, VJ;
Jervis, JR;
Bailey, JJ;
Engebretsen, E;
Neville, TP;
Millichamp, J;
Mason, T;
... Brett, DJL; + view all
(2017)
Effect of humidity on the interaction of CO2 with alkaline anion exchange membranes probed using the quartz crystal microbalance.
International Journal of Hydrogen Energy
, 42
(38)
10.1016/j.ijhydene.2017.07.142.
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Abstract
The alkaline anion exchange membrane fuel cell (AAEM-FC) is able to deliver a comparable performance to the traditional proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEM-FC) without the use of precious metal electrocatalysts, making it a more cost-competitive alternative for low-temperature fuel cell applications. However, issues relating to degradation and specifically interaction with CO 2 still hinder the technology's commercialisation prospects. With hydration playing a key role in solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell operation, this study examines how membrane hydration affects the AAEM interaction with CO 2 . The change of membrane conductivity upon exposure to atmospheric CO 2 has been compared with the change in viscoelastic properties of a cast thin-film ionomer, both as a function of humidity. The effect of CO 2 on the membrane as a function of hydration suggests a link to its solvation and swelling regimes and thus the access of CO 2 to the ionic channels within the membrane. The thin-film QCM composite resonator study has suggested that during the solvation (pore opening) regime, there is a linear increase in CO 2 uptake as water can further permeate the pore system and the cationic headgroups become increasingly accessible. During the transition to the pore swelling regime, there is a step increase in CO 2 uptake as the network is thought to be fully open; as such, subsequent increases in RH do not lead to any significant increase in CO 2 uptake.
| Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Title: | Effect of humidity on the interaction of CO2 with alkaline anion exchange membranes probed using the quartz crystal microbalance |
| Open access status: | An open access version is available from UCL Discovery |
| DOI: | 10.1016/j.ijhydene.2017.07.142 |
| Publisher version: | http://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhydene.2017.07.142 |
| Language: | English |
| Additional information: | This version is the author accepted manuscript. For information on re-use, please refer to the publisher’s terms and conditions. |
| Keywords: | CO2 interaction; QCM; Alkaline anion exchange membrane; Carbonate formation |
| 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 Engineering Science > Dept of Chemical Engineering UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS > Faculty of Engineering Science > Dept of Electronic and Electrical Eng |
| URI: | https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/1572188 |
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