Perfluorosulfonic acid proton exchange membrane with double proton site side chain for high-performance fuel cells at Low Humidity

Hongyun  Tan; Shengqiu  Zhao; S. Eltahir  Ali; Shuhong  Zheng; Abdullah K.  Alanazi; Rui  Wang; Haining  Zhang; Hala M.  Abo-Dief; Ben Bin Xu; Hassan Algadi; Handong Li; Priyanka  Wasnik; Zhanhu Guo; Haolin Tang

Perfluorosulfonic acid proton exchange membrane with double proton site side chain for high-performance fuel cells at Low Humidity

Hongyun Tan, Shengqiu Zhao, S. Eltahir Ali , Shuhong Zheng, Abdullah K. Alanazi, Rui Wang, Haining Zhang, Hala M. Abo-Dief, Ben Bin Xu, Hassan Algadi, Handong Li, Priyanka Wasnik, Zhanhu Guo, Haolin Tang

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

Structural optimization of ionomers is an effective strategy for achieving high-performance proton exchange membranes (PEMs) under low relative humidity (RH) conditions. In this study, sulfonimide group and trifluoromethanesulfonate acid (TFSA) ionic liquids were introduced to the perfluorosul-fonic acid (PFSA) side chain, resulting in polymer membranes with varying chain lengths (i.e., PFC2-TF-SI, PFC4-TF-SI, and PFC5-TF-SI). This dual proton-conducting structure extended the length of the hydrophilic side chain and enhanced the hydrophobic-hydrophilic phase separation, aiding in the formation of proton transport channels. Notably, the proton conductivity of PFC5-TF-SI and PFC2-TF-SI membranes reached 7.1 and 10.6 mS/cm at 30% RH and 80°C, respectively, which were approximately 29.1% and 92.7% higher than that of the pristine PFC5-SA membrane (5.5 mS/cm). Furthermore, the maximum power density of the PFC5-TF-SI and PFC2-TF-SI membranes from the built single fuel cell achieved 649 and 763 mW/cm2 at 30% RH and 80°C, respectively, which were higher than that of the pristine PFC5-SA membrane (567 mW/cm2) by about 14.5% and 34.6%, re-spectively. Thus, this study provides a strategy for PEM design under low RH conditions.

Original language	English
Journal	Journal of Materials Science and Technology
Publication status	Accepted/In press - 21 Mar 2023

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Licence: CC BY-NC-ND
Embargo ends: 21/03/24

Cite this

@article{8df3ceeff6954f0cb9676c8f9a8a0fd3,

title = "Perfluorosulfonic acid proton exchange membrane with double proton site side chain for high-performance fuel cells at Low Humidity",

abstract = "Structural optimization of ionomers is an effective strategy for achieving high-performance proton exchange membranes (PEMs) under low relative humidity (RH) conditions. In this study, sulfonimide group and trifluoromethanesulfonate acid (TFSA) ionic liquids were introduced to the perfluorosul-fonic acid (PFSA) side chain, resulting in polymer membranes with varying chain lengths (i.e., PFC2-TF-SI, PFC4-TF-SI, and PFC5-TF-SI). This dual proton-conducting structure extended the length of the hydrophilic side chain and enhanced the hydrophobic-hydrophilic phase separation, aiding in the formation of proton transport channels. Notably, the proton conductivity of PFC5-TF-SI and PFC2-TF-SI membranes reached 7.1 and 10.6 mS/cm at 30% RH and 80°C, respectively, which were approximately 29.1% and 92.7% higher than that of the pristine PFC5-SA membrane (5.5 mS/cm). Furthermore, the maximum power density of the PFC5-TF-SI and PFC2-TF-SI membranes from the built single fuel cell achieved 649 and 763 mW/cm2 at 30% RH and 80°C, respectively, which were higher than that of the pristine PFC5-SA membrane (567 mW/cm2) by about 14.5% and 34.6%, re-spectively. Thus, this study provides a strategy for PEM design under low RH conditions.",

keywords = "Proton exchange membrane, Structural design, Dual proton conduction, Hydrophilic channel, proton conductivity, fuel cells",

author = "Hongyun Tan and Shengqiu Zhao and Ali, {S. Eltahir} and Shuhong Zheng and Alanazi, {Abdullah K.} and Rui Wang and Haining Zhang and Abo-Dief, {Hala M.} and Xu, {Ben Bin} and Hassan Algadi and Handong Li and Priyanka Wasnik and Zhanhu Guo and Haolin Tang",

note = "Funding information: This work was supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China (2022YFB4003500), National Natural Science Foundation of China (T2241003), Key R&D project of Hubei Province, China (2021AAA006), National Natural Science Foundation of China (52202009).",

year = "2023",

month = mar,

day = "21",

language = "English",

journal = "Journal of Materials Science and Technology",

issn = "1005-0302",

publisher = "Chinese Society of Metals",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Perfluorosulfonic acid proton exchange membrane with double proton site side chain for high-performance fuel cells at Low Humidity

AU - Tan, Hongyun

AU - Zhao, Shengqiu

AU - Ali , S. Eltahir

AU - Zheng, Shuhong

AU - Alanazi, Abdullah K.

AU - Wang, Rui

AU - Zhang, Haining

AU - Abo-Dief, Hala M.

AU - Xu, Ben Bin

AU - Algadi, Hassan

AU - Li, Handong

AU - Wasnik, Priyanka

AU - Guo, Zhanhu

AU - Tang, Haolin

N1 - Funding information: This work was supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China (2022YFB4003500), National Natural Science Foundation of China (T2241003), Key R&D project of Hubei Province, China (2021AAA006), National Natural Science Foundation of China (52202009).

PY - 2023/3/21

Y1 - 2023/3/21

N2 - Structural optimization of ionomers is an effective strategy for achieving high-performance proton exchange membranes (PEMs) under low relative humidity (RH) conditions. In this study, sulfonimide group and trifluoromethanesulfonate acid (TFSA) ionic liquids were introduced to the perfluorosul-fonic acid (PFSA) side chain, resulting in polymer membranes with varying chain lengths (i.e., PFC2-TF-SI, PFC4-TF-SI, and PFC5-TF-SI). This dual proton-conducting structure extended the length of the hydrophilic side chain and enhanced the hydrophobic-hydrophilic phase separation, aiding in the formation of proton transport channels. Notably, the proton conductivity of PFC5-TF-SI and PFC2-TF-SI membranes reached 7.1 and 10.6 mS/cm at 30% RH and 80°C, respectively, which were approximately 29.1% and 92.7% higher than that of the pristine PFC5-SA membrane (5.5 mS/cm). Furthermore, the maximum power density of the PFC5-TF-SI and PFC2-TF-SI membranes from the built single fuel cell achieved 649 and 763 mW/cm2 at 30% RH and 80°C, respectively, which were higher than that of the pristine PFC5-SA membrane (567 mW/cm2) by about 14.5% and 34.6%, re-spectively. Thus, this study provides a strategy for PEM design under low RH conditions.

AB - Structural optimization of ionomers is an effective strategy for achieving high-performance proton exchange membranes (PEMs) under low relative humidity (RH) conditions. In this study, sulfonimide group and trifluoromethanesulfonate acid (TFSA) ionic liquids were introduced to the perfluorosul-fonic acid (PFSA) side chain, resulting in polymer membranes with varying chain lengths (i.e., PFC2-TF-SI, PFC4-TF-SI, and PFC5-TF-SI). This dual proton-conducting structure extended the length of the hydrophilic side chain and enhanced the hydrophobic-hydrophilic phase separation, aiding in the formation of proton transport channels. Notably, the proton conductivity of PFC5-TF-SI and PFC2-TF-SI membranes reached 7.1 and 10.6 mS/cm at 30% RH and 80°C, respectively, which were approximately 29.1% and 92.7% higher than that of the pristine PFC5-SA membrane (5.5 mS/cm). Furthermore, the maximum power density of the PFC5-TF-SI and PFC2-TF-SI membranes from the built single fuel cell achieved 649 and 763 mW/cm2 at 30% RH and 80°C, respectively, which were higher than that of the pristine PFC5-SA membrane (567 mW/cm2) by about 14.5% and 34.6%, re-spectively. Thus, this study provides a strategy for PEM design under low RH conditions.

KW - Proton exchange membrane

KW - Structural design

KW - Dual proton conduction

KW - Hydrophilic channel

KW - proton conductivity

KW - fuel cells

M3 - Article

JO - Journal of Materials Science and Technology

JF - Journal of Materials Science and Technology

SN - 1005-0302

ER -