1
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Park EJ, Jannasch P, Miyatake K, Bae C, Noonan K, Fujimoto C, Holdcroft S, Varcoe JR, Henkensmeier D, Guiver MD, Kim YS. Aryl ether-free polymer electrolytes for electrochemical and energy devices. Chem Soc Rev 2024; 53:5704-5780. [PMID: 38666439 DOI: 10.1039/d3cs00186e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/05/2024]
Abstract
Anion exchange polymers (AEPs) play a crucial role in green hydrogen production through anion exchange membrane water electrolysis. The chemical stability of AEPs is paramount for stable system operation in electrolysers and other electrochemical devices. Given the instability of aryl ether-containing AEPs under high pH conditions, recent research has focused on quaternized aryl ether-free variants. The primary goal of this review is to provide a greater depth of knowledge on the synthesis of aryl ether-free AEPs targeted for electrochemical devices. Synthetic pathways that yield polyaromatic AEPs include acid-catalysed polyhydroxyalkylation, metal-promoted coupling reactions, ionene synthesis via nucleophilic substitution, alkylation of polybenzimidazole, and Diels-Alder polymerization. Polyolefinic AEPs are prepared through addition polymerization, ring-opening metathesis, radiation grafting reactions, and anionic polymerization. Discussions cover structure-property-performance relationships of AEPs in fuel cells, redox flow batteries, and water and CO2 electrolysers, along with the current status of scale-up synthesis and commercialization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eun Joo Park
- Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM 87545, USA.
| | | | - Kenji Miyatake
- University of Yamanashi, Kofu 400-8510, Japan
- Waseda University, Tokyo 169-8555, Japan
| | - Chulsung Bae
- Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY 12180, USA
| | - Kevin Noonan
- Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Cy Fujimoto
- Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, NM 87123, USA
| | | | | | - Dirk Henkensmeier
- Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Seoul 02792, South Korea
- KIST School, University of Science and Technology (UST), Seoul 02792, South Korea
- KU-KIST School, Korea University, Seoul 02841, South Korea
| | - Michael D Guiver
- State Key Laboratory of Engines, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China.
| | - Yu Seung Kim
- Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM 87545, USA.
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2
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Dischinger S, Miller DJ, Vermaas DA, Kingsbury RS. Unifying the Conversation: Membrane Separation Performance in Energy, Water, and Industrial Applications. ACS ES&T ENGINEERING 2024; 4:277-289. [PMID: 38357245 PMCID: PMC10862477 DOI: 10.1021/acsestengg.3c00475] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2023] [Revised: 12/28/2023] [Accepted: 12/29/2023] [Indexed: 02/16/2024]
Abstract
Dense polymer membranes enable a diverse range of separations and clean energy technologies, including gas separation, water treatment, and renewable fuel production or conversion. The transport of small molecular and ionic solutes in the majority of these membranes is described by the same solution-diffusion mechanism, yet a comparison of membrane separation performance across applications is rare. A better understanding of how structure-property relationships and driving forces compare among applications would drive innovation in membrane development by identifying opportunities for cross-disciplinary knowledge transfer. Here, we aim to inspire such cross-pollination by evaluating the selectivity and electrochemical driving forces for 29 separations across nine different applications using a common framework grounded in the physicochemical characteristics of the permeating and rejected solutes. Our analysis shows that highly selective membranes usually exhibit high solute rejection, rather than fast solute permeation, and often exploit contrasts in the size and charge of solutes rather than a nonelectrostatic chemical property, polarizability. We also highlight the power of selective driving forces (e.g., the fact that applied electric potential acts on charged solutes but not on neutral ones) to enable effective separation processes, even when the membrane itself has poor selectivity. We conclude by proposing several research opportunities that are likely to impact multiple areas of membrane science. The high-level perspective of membrane separation across fields presented herein aims to promote cross-pollination and innovation by enabling comparisons of solute transport and driving forces among membrane separation applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah
M. Dischinger
- Chemical
Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National
Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
| | - Daniel J. Miller
- Chemical
Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National
Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
| | - David A. Vermaas
- Department
of Chemical Engineering, Delft University
of Technology, 2629HZ Delft, The
Netherlands
| | - Ryan S. Kingsbury
- Energy
Storage and Distributed Resources Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
- Department
of Civil and Environmental Engineering and the Andlinger Center for
Energy and the Environment, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08540, United States
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3
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Li Z, Lowe JP, Fletcher PJ, Carta M, McKeown NB, Marken F. Tuning and Coupling Irreversible Electroosmotic Water Flow in Ionic Diodes: Methylation of an Intrinsically Microporous Polyamine (PIM-EA-TB). ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2023; 15:42369-42377. [PMID: 37638824 PMCID: PMC10510042 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.3c10220] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2023] [Accepted: 08/17/2023] [Indexed: 08/29/2023]
Abstract
Molecularly rigid polymers with internal charges (positive charges induced by amine methylation) allow electroosmotic water flow to be tuned by adjusting the charge density (the degree of methylation). Here, a microporous polyamine (PIM-EA-TB) is methylated to give a molecularly rigid anion conductor. The electroosmotic drag coefficient (the number of water molecules transported per anion) is shown to increase with a lower degree of methylation. Net water transport (without charge flow) in a coupled anionic diode circuit is demonstrated based on combining low and high electroosmotic drag coefficient materials. The AC-electricity-driven net process offers water transport (or transport of other neutral species, e.g., drugs) with net zero ion transport and without driver electrode side reactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhongkai Li
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Bath, Claverton Down, Bath BA2 7AY, U.K.
| | - John P. Lowe
- Materials
& Chemistry Characterisation Facility, MC, University of Bath, Bath BA2 7AY, U.K.
| | - Philip J. Fletcher
- Materials
& Chemistry Characterisation Facility, MC, University of Bath, Bath BA2 7AY, U.K.
| | - Mariolino Carta
- Department
of Chemistry, Swansea University, College
of Science, Grove Building, Singleton Park, Swansea SA2 8PP, U.K.
| | - Neil B. McKeown
- EaStCHEM
School of Chemistry, University of Edinburgh,
Joseph Black Building, David Brewster Road, Edinburgh, Scotland EH9 3JF, U.K.
| | - Frank Marken
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Bath, Claverton Down, Bath BA2 7AY, U.K.
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4
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Liu F, Kim IS, Miyatake K. Proton-conductive aromatic membranes reinforced with poly(vinylidene fluoride) nanofibers for high-performance durable fuel cells. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2023; 9:eadg9057. [PMID: 37494437 PMCID: PMC10371013 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adg9057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2023] [Accepted: 06/23/2023] [Indexed: 07/28/2023]
Abstract
Durability and ion conductivity are counteracting properties of proton-conductive membranes that are challenging to achieve simultaneously and determine the lifetime and performance of proton exchange membrane fuel cells. Here, we developed aromatic ionomers reinforced with nonwoven poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) nanofibers. Because of the right combination of an isotropic nonwoven PVDF with high porosity (78%) and partially fluorinated aromatic ionomers (SPP-TFP-4.0), the resulting composite membrane (SPP-TFP-4.0-PVDF) outperformed state-of-the-art chemically stabilized and physically reinforced perfluorinated Nafion XL membrane, in terms of fuel cell operation and in situ chemical stability at a high temperature (120°C) and low relative humidity (30%). The SPP-TFP-4.0-PVDF membrane exhibited excellent chemical stability and stable rupture energy at high and low RH levels, allowing it to be an alternative proton-conductive membrane to meet the U.S. Department of Energy target to be used in automobile fuel cells in 2025.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fanghua Liu
- Clean Energy Research Center, University of Yamanashi, 4-4-37 Takeda, Kofu, Yamanashi 400-8510, Japan
- Research Organization for Nano and Life Innovation, Waseda University, Tokyo 169-8555, Japan
| | - Ick S Kim
- Nano Fusion Technology Research Group, Institute for Fiber Engineering, Interdisciplinary Cluster for Cutting Edge Research, Shinshu University, Nagano 380-8553, Japan
| | - Kenji Miyatake
- Clean Energy Research Center, University of Yamanashi, 4-4-37 Takeda, Kofu, Yamanashi 400-8510, Japan
- Fuel Cell Nanomaterials Center, University of Yamanashi, 4-4-37 Takeda, Kofu, Yamanashi 400-8510, Japan
- Department of Applied Chemistry, and Research Institute for Science and Engineering, Waseda University, Tokyo 169-8555, Japan
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5
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Flack R, Aixalà-Perelló A, Pedico A, Saadi K, Lamberti A, Zitoun D. Permselectivity and Ionic Conductivity Study of Na + and Br - Ions in Graphene Oxide-Based Membranes for Redox Flow Batteries. MEMBRANES 2023; 13:695. [PMID: 37623756 PMCID: PMC10456580 DOI: 10.3390/membranes13080695] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2023] [Revised: 07/16/2023] [Accepted: 07/21/2023] [Indexed: 08/26/2023]
Abstract
Permselectivity of a membrane is central for the development of electrochemical energy storage devices with two redox couples, such as redox flow batteries (RFBs). In RFBs, Br3-/Br- couple is often used as a catholyte which can cross over to the anolyte, limiting the battery's lifetime. Naturally, the development of permselective membranes is essential to the success of RFBs since state-of-the-art perfluorosulfonic acid (PFSA) is too costly. This study investigates membranes of graphene oxide (GO), polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), and imidazole (Im) as binder and linker, respectively. The GO membranes are compared to a standard PFSA membrane in terms of ionic conductivity (Na+) and permselectivity (exclusion of Br-). The ionic conduction is evaluated from electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and the permselectivity from two-compartment diffusion cells in a four-electrode system. Our findings suggest that the GO membranes reach conductivity and permselectivity comparable with standard PFSA membranes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raphael Flack
- Department of Chemistry, Institute for Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials (BINA), Bar Ilan University, Ramat Gan 590002, Israel; (R.F.); (K.S.)
| | - Anna Aixalà-Perelló
- Dipartimento di Scienza Applicata e Tecnologia (DISAT), Politecnico di Torino, Corso Duca degli Abruzzi, 24, 10129 Torino, Italy; (A.A.-P.); (A.P.); (A.L.)
- Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Center for Sustainable Future Technologies, Via Livorno 60, 10140 Torino, Italy
| | - Alessandro Pedico
- Dipartimento di Scienza Applicata e Tecnologia (DISAT), Politecnico di Torino, Corso Duca degli Abruzzi, 24, 10129 Torino, Italy; (A.A.-P.); (A.P.); (A.L.)
- Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Center for Sustainable Future Technologies, Via Livorno 60, 10140 Torino, Italy
| | - Kobby Saadi
- Department of Chemistry, Institute for Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials (BINA), Bar Ilan University, Ramat Gan 590002, Israel; (R.F.); (K.S.)
| | - Andrea Lamberti
- Dipartimento di Scienza Applicata e Tecnologia (DISAT), Politecnico di Torino, Corso Duca degli Abruzzi, 24, 10129 Torino, Italy; (A.A.-P.); (A.P.); (A.L.)
- Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Center for Sustainable Future Technologies, Via Livorno 60, 10140 Torino, Italy
| | - David Zitoun
- Department of Chemistry, Institute for Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials (BINA), Bar Ilan University, Ramat Gan 590002, Israel; (R.F.); (K.S.)
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6
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Qu E, Xiao M, Han D, Huang S, Huang Z, Liu W, Wang S, Meng Y. A Novel High Temperature Fuel Cell Proton Exchange Membrane with Nanoscale Phase Separation Structure Based on Crosslinked Polybenzimidazole with Poly(vinylbenzyl chloride). NANOMATERIALS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 13:266. [PMID: 36678019 PMCID: PMC9863899 DOI: 10.3390/nano13020266] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2022] [Revised: 12/30/2022] [Accepted: 01/05/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
A semi-aromatic polybenzimidazole (DPBI) is synthesized via polycondensation of decanedioic acid (DCDA) and 3,3-diaminobenzidine (DAB) in a mixed phosphorus pentoxide/methanesulfonic acid (PPMA) solvent. Ascribing to in-situ macromolecular crosslinker of ploly((vinylbenzyl chloride) (PVBC), a robust crosslinked DPBI membrane (DPBI-xPVBC, x refers to the weight percentage of PVBC in the membrane) can be obtained. Comprehensive properties of the DPBI and DPBI-xPVBC membranes are investigated, including chemical structure, antioxidant stability, mechanical strength, PA uptake and electrochemical performances. Compared with pristine DPBI membrane, the PA doped DPBI-xPVBC membranes exhibit excellent antioxidative stability, high proton conductivity and enhanced mechanical strength. The PA doped DPBI-10PVBC membrane shows a proton conductivity of 49 mS cm-1 at 160 °C without humidification. Particularly, it reveals an enhanced H2/O2 single cell performance with the maximum peak power density of 405 mW cm-2, which is 29% higher than that of pristine DPBI membrane (314 mW cm-2). In addition, the cell is very stable in 50 h, indicating the in-situ crosslinked DPBI with a macromolecular crosslinker of PVBC is an efficient way to improve the overall performance of HT-PEMs for high performance HT-PEMFCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erli Qu
- The Key Laboratory of Low-Carbon Chemistry & Energy Conservation of Guangdong Province/State Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Materials and Technologies, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China
| | - Min Xiao
- The Key Laboratory of Low-Carbon Chemistry & Energy Conservation of Guangdong Province/State Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Materials and Technologies, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China
| | - Dongmei Han
- The Key Laboratory of Low-Carbon Chemistry & Energy Conservation of Guangdong Province/State Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Materials and Technologies, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China
- School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Sun Yat-Sen University, Zhuhai 519000, China
| | - Sheng Huang
- The Key Laboratory of Low-Carbon Chemistry & Energy Conservation of Guangdong Province/State Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Materials and Technologies, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China
| | - Zhiheng Huang
- The Key Laboratory of Low-Carbon Chemistry & Energy Conservation of Guangdong Province/State Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Materials and Technologies, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China
| | - Wei Liu
- The Key Laboratory of Low-Carbon Chemistry & Energy Conservation of Guangdong Province/State Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Materials and Technologies, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China
| | - Shuanjin Wang
- The Key Laboratory of Low-Carbon Chemistry & Energy Conservation of Guangdong Province/State Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Materials and Technologies, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China
| | - Yuezhong Meng
- The Key Laboratory of Low-Carbon Chemistry & Energy Conservation of Guangdong Province/State Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Materials and Technologies, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China
- School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Sun Yat-Sen University, Zhuhai 519000, China
- Research Center of Green Catalysts, College of Chemistry, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
- Institute of Chemistry, Henan Academy of Sciences, Zhengzhou 450000, China
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7
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Sun Y, Tian J, Mu Z, Tian B, Zhou Q, Liu C, Liu S, Wu Q, Ding M. Unravelling the critical role of surface Nafion adsorption in Pt-catalyzed oxygen reduction reaction by in situ electrical transport spectroscopy. Sci China Chem 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s11426-022-1428-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
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8
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Anomalous water sorption kinetics in supported Nafion thin-films as membrane-electrode assemblies. J Memb Sci 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.memsci.2022.120368] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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9
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Ion and Molecular Transport in Solid Electrolytes Studied by NMR. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23095011. [PMID: 35563404 PMCID: PMC9103273 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23095011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2022] [Revised: 04/25/2022] [Accepted: 04/27/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
NMR is the method of choice for molecular and ionic structures and dynamics investigations. The present review is devoted to solvation and mobilities in solid electrolytes, such as ion-exchange membranes and composite materials, based on cesium acid sulfates and phosphates. The applications of high-resolution NMR, solid-state NMR, NMR relaxation, and pulsed field gradient 1H, 7Li, 13C, 19F, 23Na, 31P, and 133Cs NMR techniques are discussed. The main attention is paid to the transport channel morphology, ionic hydration, charge group and mobile ion interaction, and translation ions and solvent mobilities in different spatial scales. Self-diffusion coefficients of protons and Li+, Na+, and Cs+ cations are compared with the ionic conductivity data. The microscopic ionic transfer mechanism is discussed.
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10
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Yang Y, Li P, Zheng X, Sun W, Dou SX, Ma T, Pan H. Anion-exchange membrane water electrolyzers and fuel cells. Chem Soc Rev 2022; 51:9620-9693. [DOI: 10.1039/d2cs00038e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
The key components, working management, and operating techniques of anion-exchange membrane water electrolyzers and fuel cells are reviewed for the first time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yaxiong Yang
- Institute of Science and Technology for New Energy, Xi’an Technological University, Xi’an, 710021, P. R. China
| | - Peng Li
- School of Science, RMIT University, Melbourne, VIC, 3000, Australia
- Institute for Superconducting & Electronic Materials, Australian Institute for Innovative Materials, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia
| | - Xiaobo Zheng
- Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Wenping Sun
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, P. R. China
- State Key Laboratory of Clean Energy Utilization, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, P. R. China
| | - Shi Xue Dou
- Institute of Energy Material Science, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai 200093, China
- Institute for Superconducting & Electronic Materials, Australian Institute for Innovative Materials, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia
| | - Tianyi Ma
- School of Science, RMIT University, Melbourne, VIC, 3000, Australia
| | - Hongge Pan
- Institute of Science and Technology for New Energy, Xi’an Technological University, Xi’an, 710021, P. R. China
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, P. R. China
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11
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Xue J, Zhang J, Liu X, Huang T, Jiang H, Yin Y, Qin Y, Guiver MD. Toward alkaline-stable anion exchange membranes in fuel cells: cycloaliphatic quaternary ammonium-based anion conductors. ELECTROCHEM ENERGY R 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s41918-021-00105-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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12
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Ureña N, Pérez-Prior MT, Levenfeld B, García-Salaberri PA. On the Conductivity of Proton-Exchange Membranes Based on Multiblock Copolymers of Sulfonated Polysulfone and Polyphenylsulfone: An Experimental and Modeling Study. Polymers (Basel) 2021; 13:363. [PMID: 33498770 PMCID: PMC7865426 DOI: 10.3390/polym13030363] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2021] [Revised: 01/17/2021] [Accepted: 01/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The effect of relative humidity (RH) and degree of sulfonation (DS) on the ionic conductivity and water uptake of proton-exchange membranes based on sulfonated multiblock copolymers composed of polysulfone (PSU) and polyphenylsulfone (PPSU) is examined experimentally and numerically. Three membranes with a different DS and ion-exchange capacity are analyzed. The heterogeneous structure of the membranes shows a random distribution of sulfonated (hydrophilic) and non-sulfonated (hydrophobic) domains, whose proton conductivity is modeled based on percolation theory. The mesoscopic model solves simplified Nernst-Planck and charge conservation equations on a random cubic network. Good agreement is found between the measured ionic conductivity and water uptake and the model predictions. The ionic conductivity increases with RH due to both the growth of the hydrated volume available for conduction and the decrease of the tortuosity of ionic transport pathways. Moreover, the results show that the ionic conductivity increases nonlinearly with DS, experiencing a strong rise when the DS is varied from 0.45 to 0.70, even though the water uptake of the membranes remains nearly the same. In contrast, the increase of the ionic conductivity between DS=0.70 and DS=0.79 is significantly lower, but the water uptake increases sharply. This is explained by the lack of microphase separation of both copolymer blocks when the DS is exceedingly high. Encouragingly, the copolymer membranes demonstrate a similar performance to Nafion under well hydrated conditions, which can be further optimized by a combination of numerical modeling and experimental characterization to develop new-generation membranes with better properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nieves Ureña
- Departamento de Ciencia e Ingeniería de Materiales e Ingeniería Química, IAAB, Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, 28911 Leganés, Spain; (N.U.); (M.T.P.-P.); (B.L.)
| | - M. Teresa Pérez-Prior
- Departamento de Ciencia e Ingeniería de Materiales e Ingeniería Química, IAAB, Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, 28911 Leganés, Spain; (N.U.); (M.T.P.-P.); (B.L.)
| | - Belén Levenfeld
- Departamento de Ciencia e Ingeniería de Materiales e Ingeniería Química, IAAB, Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, 28911 Leganés, Spain; (N.U.); (M.T.P.-P.); (B.L.)
| | - Pablo A. García-Salaberri
- Departamento de Ingeniería Térmica y de Fluidos, Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, 28911 Leganés, Spain
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13
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhenni Ma
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Polytechnique Montréal, C.P. 6079, Succ. CV, H3C 3A7 Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Ulrich Legrand
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Polytechnique Montréal, C.P. 6079, Succ. CV, H3C 3A7 Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Ergys Pahija
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Polytechnique Montréal, C.P. 6079, Succ. CV, H3C 3A7 Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Jason R. Tavares
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Polytechnique Montréal, C.P. 6079, Succ. CV, H3C 3A7 Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Daria C. Boffito
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Polytechnique Montréal, C.P. 6079, Succ. CV, H3C 3A7 Montréal, Québec, Canada
- Canada Research Chair in Intensified Mechano-Chemical Processes for Sustainable Biomass Conversion, Department of Chemical Engineering, Polytechnique Montréal, C.P. 6079, Succ. CV, H3C 3A7 Montréal, Québec, Canada
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14
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Application of Crosslinked Polybenzimidazole-Poly(Vinyl Benzyl Chloride) Anion Exchange Membranes in Direct Ethanol Fuel Cells. MEMBRANES 2020; 10:membranes10110349. [PMID: 33212912 PMCID: PMC7698426 DOI: 10.3390/membranes10110349] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2020] [Revised: 11/10/2020] [Accepted: 11/12/2020] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Crosslinked membranes have been synthesized by a casting process using polybenzimidazole (PBI) and poly(vinyl benzyl chloride) (PVBC). The membranes were quaternized with 1,4-diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octane (DABCO) to obtain fixed positive quaternary ammonium groups. XPS analysis has showed insights into the changes from crosslinked to quaternized membranes, demonstrating that the crosslinking reaction and the incorporation of DABCO have occurred, while the 13C-NMR corroborates the reaction of DABCO with PVBC only by one nitrogen atom. Mechanical properties were evaluated, obtaining maximum stress values around 72 MPa and 40 MPa for crosslinked and quaternized membranes, respectively. Resistance to oxidative media was also satisfactory and the membranes were evaluated in single direct ethanol fuel cell. PBI-c-PVBC/OH 1:2 membrane obtained 66 mW cm−2 peak power density, 25% higher than commercial PBI membranes, using 0.5 bar backpressure of pure O2 in the cathode and 1 mL min−1 KOH 2M EtOH 2 M aqueous solution in the anode. When the pressure was increased, the best performance was obtained by the same membrane, reaching 70 mW cm−2 peak power density at 2 bar O2 backpressure. Based on the characterization and single cell performance, PBI-c-PVBC/OH membranes are considered promising candidates as anion exchange electrolytes for direct ethanol fuel cells.
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15
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Müller J, Zhegur A, Krewer U, Varcoe JR, Dekel DR. Practical ex-Situ Technique To Measure the Chemical Stability of Anion-Exchange Membranes under Conditions Simulating the Fuel Cell Environment. ACS MATERIALS LETTERS 2020; 2:168-173. [PMID: 32905244 PMCID: PMC7469134 DOI: 10.1021/acsmaterialslett.9b00418] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2019] [Accepted: 01/07/2020] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
Anion-exchange membrane (AEM) degradation during fuel cell operation represents the main challenge that hampers the implementation of AEM fuel cells (AEMFCs). Reported degradation values of AEMs are difficult to reproduce as no standard methods are used. The present use of different techniques based on exposure of membranes to aqueous KOH solutions under different conditions and measuring different outputs during time does not allow for a reliable and meaningful comparison of reported degradation data of different AEMs. In this study, we present a practical and reproducible ex-situ technique to measure AEM degradation in conditions that mimic an operando fuel cell environment. In this novel technique, we measure the change of the true hydroxide conductivity of the AEM over time, while exposing it to different relative humidity conditions. The technique does not make use of liquid alkaline solution, thus simulating real fuel cell conditions and providing a good baseline for comparative degradation studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jasmin Müller
- The
Wolfson Department of Chemical Engineering, Technion, Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 3200003, Israel
- Institute
of Energy and Process Systems Engineering, Technische Universität Braunschweig, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Avital Zhegur
- The
Wolfson Department of Chemical Engineering, Technion, Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 3200003, Israel
| | - Ulrike Krewer
- Institute
of Energy and Process Systems Engineering, Technische Universität Braunschweig, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany
| | - John R. Varcoe
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Surrey, Guildford GU2 7XH, United Kingdom
| | - Dario R. Dekel
- The
Wolfson Department of Chemical Engineering, Technion, Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 3200003, Israel
- The
Nancy & Stephan Grand Technion Energy Program (GTEP), Technion, Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 3200003, Israel
- E-mail:
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16
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Berber MR, Nakashima N. Tailoring Different Molecular Weight Phenylene-Polybenzimidazole Membranes with Remarkable Oxidative Stability and Conductive Properties for High-Temperature Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cells. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2019; 11:46269-46277. [PMID: 31697059 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.9b18314] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Polybenzimidazole (ph-PBI) polymer was synthesized with different molecular weights (MWs) and casted into conductive films for use in high-temperature fuel cells (FCs). A comprehensive study on the influence of polymer MW on membrane cast efficiency, chemical stability, thermal behavior, tensile strength, conductivity, FC performance, and durability was reported. The synthesized materials were characterized by different techniques, including, nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, infrared spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, impedance microscopy, and scanning electron microscopy. The results showed the importance of manufacturing ph-PBI membranes with controlled properties to achieve high efficiency FCs. High MW ph-PBI membrane (119 kDa) showed a slower rate of chemical degradation, remarkable mechanical properties, and an improved FC performance compared to low MW ph-PBI membrane (39 kDa), thanks to the architecture of high MW ph-PBI. A gain of 91% in proton conductivity with a 47% in FC power density was obtained for the ph-PBI membrane with MW 119 kDa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohamed R Berber
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science , Tanta University , Tanta 31527 , Egypt
| | - Naotoshi Nakashima
- International Institute for Carbon Neutral Energy Research (WPI-I2CNER) , Kyushu University , Fukuoka 819-0395 , Kyushu , Japan
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17
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Silberbush O, Engel M, Sivron I, Roy S, Ashkenasy N. Self-Assembled Peptide Nanotube Films with High Proton Conductivity. J Phys Chem B 2019; 123:9882-9888. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.9b07555] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Ohad Silberbush
- Department of Materials Engineering and Ilse Katz Institute for Nanoscale Science and Technology, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, P.O.B. 653, Beer-Sheva 84105, Israel
| | - Maor Engel
- Department of Materials Engineering and Ilse Katz Institute for Nanoscale Science and Technology, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, P.O.B. 653, Beer-Sheva 84105, Israel
| | - Ido Sivron
- Department of Materials Engineering and Ilse Katz Institute for Nanoscale Science and Technology, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, P.O.B. 653, Beer-Sheva 84105, Israel
| | - Subhasish Roy
- Department of Materials Engineering and Ilse Katz Institute for Nanoscale Science and Technology, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, P.O.B. 653, Beer-Sheva 84105, Israel
| | - Nurit Ashkenasy
- Department of Materials Engineering and Ilse Katz Institute for Nanoscale Science and Technology, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, P.O.B. 653, Beer-Sheva 84105, Israel
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18
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Meyer Q, Zeng Y, Zhao C. In Situ and Operando Characterization of Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2019; 31:e1901900. [PMID: 31373051 DOI: 10.1002/adma.201901900] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2019] [Revised: 05/06/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
For proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) to become a mainstream energy source, significant improvements in their performance, durability, and efficiency are necessary. To improve their durability, there must be a solid understanding of how the structural and electrochemical processes are affected during operation to propose mitigation strategies. To this aim, in situ and operando characterization techniques can locally identify structural and electrochemical processes, which cannot be captured using conventional techniques. Linking these properties in the same geometric area has been challenging due to its inherent limitations, such as sample size and imaging resolution. This has created a knowledge gap in structure-to-electrochemical performance relationships as operation and degradation unevenly affect different areas of the cell. In the recent past, catalyst layer degradation, hot spots, and water management have been structurally and electrochemically visualized in the same geometric area, revealing new interactions. To further the research in this direction, these interconnected fields are reviewed, followed by a roadmap for in situ characterization of PEMFCs, treating structural and electrochemical processes as a unified subject. With this approach, the knowledge of the degradation of PEMFCs will be significantly improved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Quentin Meyer
- School of Chemistry, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, 2052, Australia
| | - Yachao Zeng
- School of Chemistry, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, 2052, Australia
| | - Chuan Zhao
- School of Chemistry, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, 2052, Australia
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19
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Chen L, Compton RG. Reference Electrodes for Electrochemical Sensors Based on Redox Couples Immobilized within Nafion Films. ACS Sens 2019; 4:1716-1723. [PMID: 31244009 DOI: 10.1021/acssensors.9b00693] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
The immobilization of both components of a redox couple within films of the sulfonated tetrafluoroethylene polymer, Nafion, on the surface of carbon electrodes is reported. In particular, cationic and/or water-insoluble species are used to develop stable and robust reference electrodes by adjustment and optimization of both the film thickness and the level of doping of the film, as an alternative to using standard commercial reference electrodes. Different redox couples were evaluated: methyl viologen dication/cation (MV2+/MV+), tris(2,2'-bipyridyl)ruthenium(II)/ruthenium(III) (Ru(bpy)32+/Ru(bpy)33+), ferrocene/ferrocenium (Fc/Fc+), and poly(vinylferrocene)/poly(vinylferrocenium) (PVFc/PVFc+). These reference electrodes demonstrate a good stability over 10 days and 1000 successive scans; in particular, Nafion-confined Fc/Fc+PF6- was shown to display the best performance. This type of reference electrode, as a solid-state electrolyte-free reference electrode, has several advantages, including full retention of the redox species within the films together with ease of both fabrication and miniaturization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lifu Chen
- Physical and Theoretical Chemistry Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Oxford University, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3QZ, U.K
| | - Richard G. Compton
- Physical and Theoretical Chemistry Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Oxford University, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3QZ, U.K
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20
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Gao X, Yu H, Qin B, Jia J, Hao J, Xie F, Shao Z. Enhanced water transport in AEMs based on poly(styrene–ethylene–butylene–styrene) triblock copolymer for high fuel cell performance. Polym Chem 2019. [DOI: 10.1039/c8py01618f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Anion exchange membrane fuel cells (AEMFCs) have received a considerable amount of attention in the past decades as a lower cost alternative to proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs).
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Affiliation(s)
- Xueqiang Gao
- Fuel Cell System and Engineering Laboratory
- Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics
- Chinese Academy of Sciences
- Dalian
- China
| | - Hongmei Yu
- Fuel Cell System and Engineering Laboratory
- Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics
- Chinese Academy of Sciences
- Dalian
- China
| | - Bowen Qin
- Fuel Cell System and Engineering Laboratory
- Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics
- Chinese Academy of Sciences
- Dalian
- China
| | - Jia Jia
- Fuel Cell System and Engineering Laboratory
- Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics
- Chinese Academy of Sciences
- Dalian
- China
| | - Jinkai Hao
- Fuel Cell System and Engineering Laboratory
- Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics
- Chinese Academy of Sciences
- Dalian
- China
| | - Feng Xie
- Fuel Cell System and Engineering Laboratory
- Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics
- Chinese Academy of Sciences
- Dalian
- China
| | - Zhigang Shao
- Fuel Cell System and Engineering Laboratory
- Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics
- Chinese Academy of Sciences
- Dalian
- China
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21
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Sulfonated poly(etheretherketone) based nanocomposite membranes containing POSS-SA for polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFC). J Memb Sci 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.memsci.2018.08.040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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22
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Kalathil A, Raghavan A, Kandasubramanian B. Polymer Fuel Cell Based on Polybenzimidazole Membrane: A Review. POLYM-PLAST TECH MAT 2018. [DOI: 10.1080/03602559.2018.1482919] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ajmal Kalathil
- Department Of Polymer Engineering, University College of Engineering, Thodupuzha, India
| | - Ajith Raghavan
- Department Of Polymer Engineering, University College of Engineering, Thodupuzha, India
| | - Balasubramanian Kandasubramanian
- Structural Composite Fabrication Laboratory, Department of Metallurgical & Materials Engineering, Defence Institute of Advanced Technology (DU), Ministry of Defence, Girinagar, India
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23
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Gao Q, Pan X, Buregeya PI, Lu Y, Zhang X, Yan X, Hu Z, Chen S. Stable anion exchange membranes derived from fluorinated poly(aryl ethers) with quaternized fluorene units for fuel cell applications. J Appl Polym Sci 2018. [DOI: 10.1002/app.46301] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Qi Gao
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Chemical Pollution Control and Resources Reuse, School of Environmental and Biological Engineering; Nanjing University of Science and Technology, 200 Xiaolingwei; Nanjing Jiangsu 210094 China
| | - Xueting Pan
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Chemical Pollution Control and Resources Reuse, School of Environmental and Biological Engineering; Nanjing University of Science and Technology, 200 Xiaolingwei; Nanjing Jiangsu 210094 China
| | - Providence Ingabire Buregeya
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Chemical Pollution Control and Resources Reuse, School of Environmental and Biological Engineering; Nanjing University of Science and Technology, 200 Xiaolingwei; Nanjing Jiangsu 210094 China
| | - Yao Lu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Chemical Pollution Control and Resources Reuse, School of Environmental and Biological Engineering; Nanjing University of Science and Technology, 200 Xiaolingwei; Nanjing Jiangsu 210094 China
| | - Xulve Zhang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Chemical Pollution Control and Resources Reuse, School of Environmental and Biological Engineering; Nanjing University of Science and Technology, 200 Xiaolingwei; Nanjing Jiangsu 210094 China
| | - Xiaobo Yan
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Chemical Pollution Control and Resources Reuse, School of Environmental and Biological Engineering; Nanjing University of Science and Technology, 200 Xiaolingwei; Nanjing Jiangsu 210094 China
| | - Zhaoxia Hu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Chemical Pollution Control and Resources Reuse, School of Environmental and Biological Engineering; Nanjing University of Science and Technology, 200 Xiaolingwei; Nanjing Jiangsu 210094 China
| | - Shouwen Chen
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Chemical Pollution Control and Resources Reuse, School of Environmental and Biological Engineering; Nanjing University of Science and Technology, 200 Xiaolingwei; Nanjing Jiangsu 210094 China
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24
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Amit M, Roy S, Deng Y, Josberger E, Rolandi M, Ashkenasy N. Measuring Proton Currents of Bioinspired Materials with Metallic Contacts. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2018; 10:1933-1938. [PMID: 29265803 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.7b16640] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Charge transfer at the interface between the active layer and the contact is essential in any device. Transfer of electronic charges across the contact/active layer interface with metal contacts is well-understood. To this end, noble metals, such as gold or platinum, are widely used. With these contacts, ionic currents (especially protonic) are often neglected because ions and protons do not transfer across the interface between the contact and the active layer. Palladium hydride contacts have emerged as good contacts to measure proton currents because of a reversible redox reaction at the interface and subsequent absorption/desorption of H into palladium, translating the proton flow reaching the interface into an electron flow at the outer circuit. Here, we demonstrate that gold and palladium contacts also collect proton currents, especially under high relative humidity conditions because of electrochemical reactions at the interface. A marked kinetic isotope effect, which is a signature of proton currents, is observed with gold and palladium contacts, indicating both bulk and contact processes involving proton transfer. These phenomena are attributed to electrochemical processes involving water splitting at the interface. In addition to promoting charge transfer at the interface, these interfacial electrochemical processes inject charge carriers into the active layer and hence can also modulate the bulk resistivity of the materials, as was found for the studied peptide fibril films. We conclude that proton currents may not be neglected a priori when performing electronic measurements on biological and bioinspired materials with gold and palladium contacts under high humidity conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Yingxin Deng
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Washington , Seattle, Washington 98195, United States
| | - Erik Josberger
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Washington , Seattle, Washington 98195, United States
| | - Marco Rolandi
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Washington , Seattle, Washington 98195, United States
- Department of Electrical Engineering, University of California , Santa Cruz, California 95064, United States
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25
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Sun Z, Lin B, Yan F. Anion-Exchange Membranes for Alkaline Fuel-Cell Applications: The Effects of Cations. CHEMSUSCHEM 2018; 11:58-70. [PMID: 28922576 DOI: 10.1002/cssc.201701600] [Citation(s) in RCA: 89] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Alkaline anion-exchange membrane fuel cells (AEMFCs) are attracting much attention because of their potential use of nonprecious electrocatalysts. The anion-exchange membrane (AEM) is one of the key components of AEMFCs. An ideal AEM should possess high hydroxide conductivity and sufficient long-term durability at elevated temperatures in high-pH solutions. Herein, recent progress in research into the alkaline stability behavior of cations (including quaternary ammonium, imidazolium, guanidinium, pyridinium, tertiary sulfonium, phosphonium, benzimidazolium, and pyrrolidinium) and their analogous AEMs, which have been investigated by both experimental studies and theoretical calculations, is reviewed. Effects, including conjugation, steric hindrance e, σ-π hyperconjugation, and electrons, on the alkaline stability of cations and their analogous AEMs have been discussed. The aim of this article is to provide an overview of some key factors for the future design of novel cations and their analogous AEMs with high alkaline stability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhe Sun
- Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215123, P. R. China
| | - Bencai Lin
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of, Photovoltaic Science and Engineering, Jiangsu Province Cultivation Base for State Key Laboratory of, Photovoltaic Science and Technology, Changzhou University, Changzhou, 213164, Jiangsu, P. R. China
| | - Feng Yan
- Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215123, P. R. China
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26
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Abstract
In this comprehensive review, recent progress and developments on perfluorinated sulfonic-acid (PFSA) membranes have been summarized on many key topics. Although quite well investigated for decades, PFSA ionomers' complex behavior, along with their key role in many emerging technologies, have presented significant scientific challenges but also helped create a unique cross-disciplinary research field to overcome such challenges. Research and progress on PFSAs, especially when considered with their applications, are at the forefront of bridging electrochemistry and polymer (physics), which have also opened up development of state-of-the-art in situ characterization techniques as well as multiphysics computation models. Topics reviewed stem from correlating the various physical (e.g., mechanical) and transport properties with morphology and structure across time and length scales. In addition, topics of recent interest such as structure/transport correlations and modeling, composite PFSA membranes, degradation phenomena, and PFSA thin films are presented. Throughout, the impact of PFSA chemistry and side-chain is also discussed to present a broader perspective.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmet Kusoglu
- Energy Conversion Group, Energy Technologies Area, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory , 1 Cyclotron Road, MS70-108B, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
| | - Adam Z Weber
- Energy Conversion Group, Energy Technologies Area, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory , 1 Cyclotron Road, MS70-108B, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
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27
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Gao X, Yu H, Jia J, Hao J, Xie F, Chi J, Qin B, Fu L, Song W, Shao Z. High performance anion exchange ionomer for anion exchange membrane fuel cells. RSC Adv 2017. [DOI: 10.1039/c7ra01980g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The anion exchange ionomer incorporated into the electrodes of an anion exchange membrane fuel cell (AEMFC) enhances anion transport in the catalyst layer of the electrode, and thus improves performance and durability of the AEMFC.
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28
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Nasef MM, Gürsel SA, Karabelli D, Güven O. Radiation-grafted materials for energy conversion and energy storage applications. Prog Polym Sci 2016. [DOI: 10.1016/j.progpolymsci.2016.05.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
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29
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Zhang N, Song Y, Ruan X, Yan X, Liu Z, Shen Z, Wu X, He G. Structural characteristics of hydrated protons in the conductive channels: effects of confinement and fluorination studied by molecular dynamics simulation. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2016; 18:24198-209. [PMID: 27432085 DOI: 10.1039/c6cp03012b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
The relationship between the proton conductive channel and the hydrated proton structure is of significant importance for understanding the deformed hydrogen bonding network of the confined protons which matches the nanochannel. In general, the structure of hydrated protons in the nanochannel of the proton exchange membrane is affected by several factors. To investigate the independent effect of each factor, it is necessary to eliminate the interference of other factors. In this paper, a one-dimensional carbon nanotube decorated with fluorine was built to investigate the independent effects of nanoscale confinement and fluorination on the structural properties of hydrated protons in the nanochannel using classical molecular dynamics simulation. In order to characterize the structure of hydrated protons confined in the channel, the hydrogen bonding interaction between water and the hydrated protons has been studied according to suitable hydrogen bond criteria. The hydrogen bond criteria were proposed based on the radial distribution function, angle distribution and pair-potential energy distribution. It was found that fluorination leads to an ordered hydrogen bonding structure of the hydrated protons near the channel surface, and confinement weakens the formation of the bifurcated hydrogen bonds in the radial direction. Besides, fluorination lowers the free energy barrier of hydronium along the nanochannel, but slightly increases the barrier for water. This leads to disintegration of the sequential hydrogen bond network in the fluorinated CNTs with small size. In the fluorinated CNTs with large diameter, the lower degree of confinement produces a spiral-like sequential hydrogen bond network with few bifurcated hydrogen bonds in the central region. This structure might promote unidirectional proton transfer along the channel without random movement. This study provides the cooperative effect of confinement dimension and fluorination on the structure and hydrogen bonding of the slightly acidic water in the nanoscale channel.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ning Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals, School of Petroleum and Chemical Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, Panjin 124221, China.
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30
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High temperature proton exchange membranes with enhanced proton conductivities at low humidity and high temperature based on polymer blends and block copolymers of poly(1,3-cyclohexadiene) and poly(ethylene glycol). POLYMER 2015. [DOI: 10.1016/j.polymer.2015.09.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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