能源化学(英文版)

能源化学(英文) ›› 2018, Vol. 27 ›› Issue (6): 1517-1520.DOI: 10.1016/j.jechem.2018.05.009

• Preface • 上一篇    下一篇

Water induced phase segregation in hydrocarbon proton exchange membranes

Kangjie Lyua, Yanqiu Penga, Li Xiaoa, Juntao Lua, Lin Zhuanga,b   

  1. a College of Chemistry and Molecular Sciences, Hubei Key Lab of Electrochemical Power Sources, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, Hubei, China;
    b Institute for Advanced Studies, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, Hubei, China
  • 收稿日期:2018-04-10 修回日期:2018-05-07 出版日期:2018-11-15 发布日期:2018-10-12
  • 通讯作者: Li Xiao, Lin Zhuang
  • 基金资助:

    This work was financially supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China (2016YFB0101203) and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (91545205, 21633008).

Water induced phase segregation in hydrocarbon proton exchange membranes

Kangjie Lyua, Yanqiu Penga, Li Xiaoa, Juntao Lua, Lin Zhuanga,b   

  1. a College of Chemistry and Molecular Sciences, Hubei Key Lab of Electrochemical Power Sources, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, Hubei, China;
    b Institute for Advanced Studies, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, Hubei, China
  • Received:2018-04-10 Revised:2018-05-07 Online:2018-11-15 Published:2018-10-12
  • Contact: Li Xiao, Lin Zhuang
  • Supported by:

    This work was financially supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China (2016YFB0101203) and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (91545205, 21633008).

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摘要： Proton exchange membranes (PEMs) are a key material for proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEM-FCs). Non-fluorinated hydrocarbon PEMs are low-cost alternatives to Nafion, but limited by the low proton conductivity, because of the weak phase segregation structure and narrow ion-transport channels. Various efforts have been taken to improve the performance of hydrocarbon PEMs, but mostly with complex methodologies. Here we demonstrate a simple, yet very efficient method to create phase segregation structure inside a typical hydrocarbon PEM, sulfonated poly(ether ether ketone) (SPEEK). By simply adding appropriate amounts of water into the DMF solvent, the resulting SPEEK membrane exhibits widened ion-transport channels, with the phase size of 2.7 nm, as indicated by both molecular dynamic (MD) simulations and transmission electron microscope (TEM) observations, and the proton conductivity is thus improved by 200%. These findings not only further our fundamental understanding of hydrocarbon PEMs, but are also valuable to the development of low-cost and practical fuel cell technologies.

关键词: Proton exchange membrane, Phase segregation, Proton conductivity, Molecular dynamics simulation, Sulfonated poly (ether ether ketone)

Abstract: Proton exchange membranes (PEMs) are a key material for proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEM-FCs). Non-fluorinated hydrocarbon PEMs are low-cost alternatives to Nafion, but limited by the low proton conductivity, because of the weak phase segregation structure and narrow ion-transport channels. Various efforts have been taken to improve the performance of hydrocarbon PEMs, but mostly with complex methodologies. Here we demonstrate a simple, yet very efficient method to create phase segregation structure inside a typical hydrocarbon PEM, sulfonated poly(ether ether ketone) (SPEEK). By simply adding appropriate amounts of water into the DMF solvent, the resulting SPEEK membrane exhibits widened ion-transport channels, with the phase size of 2.7 nm, as indicated by both molecular dynamic (MD) simulations and transmission electron microscope (TEM) observations, and the proton conductivity is thus improved by 200%. These findings not only further our fundamental understanding of hydrocarbon PEMs, but are also valuable to the development of low-cost and practical fuel cell technologies.

Key words: Proton exchange membrane, Phase segregation, Proton conductivity, Molecular dynamics simulation, Sulfonated poly (ether ether ketone)