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External reinforcement of hydrocarbon membranes by a three-dimensional interlocking interface for mechanically durable polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells

Authors :
Young Taik Hong
Dongwook Lee
Tae-Ho Kim
Sungyu Choi
Jinok Yuk
Dong-Hyun Lee
Jonghyun Hyun
Gisu Doo
Hee-Tak Kim
Seongmin Yuk
Source :
Journal of Power Sources. 415:44-49
Publication Year :
2019
Publisher :
Elsevier BV, 2019.

Abstract

Although, the use of hydrocarbon membranes is one of the ways to reduce the cost of polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells, it cannot be practically adopted due to its low mechanical durability under a dynamic wet/dry operation. Here, we present an externally-reinforced hydrocarbon membrane achieved by a three dimensional interlocking interfacial layer which forms a strong interfacial bonding between the hydrocarbon membrane and the catalyst layers. Although a conventional hydrocarbon membrane is easily delaminated from gas diffusion electrodes, the use of the three dimensional interlocking interfacial layer, prepared with a polystyrene nanoparticle template method, enhances the interfacial adhesion by 207 times. The hydrocarbon membrane, tightly connected to the gas diffusion electrodes by the three dimensional interlocking interfacial layers, has a humidity cycling durability that is 1.9 times higher in the membrane electrode assembly level by restricting the dimensional change of the membrane. Furthermore, due to the proton conducting property of the three dimensional interlocking interfacial layer, the external reinforcement does not cause any power performance losses.

Details

ISSN :
03787753
Volume :
415
Database :
OpenAIRE
Journal :
Journal of Power Sources
Accession number :
edsair.doi...........d6cea8727666c783aa048d395789e09d