Proton exchange membrane -based direct methanol fuel cell

Hasanabadi N, Ghaffarian SR, Hasani-Sadrahadi MM (2013) Nafion-based magnetically aligned nanocomposite proton exchange membranes for direct methanol fuel cells. Solid State Ion 232 58-67... 

Zhang Y, Fei X, Zhang G, Li H, Shao K, Zhu J, Zhao C, Liu Z, Han M, Na H (2010) Preparation and properties of epoxy-based cross-linked sulfonated poly(arylene ether ketone) proton exchange membrane for direct methanol fuel cell applications, bit J Hydrogen Energ 35 6409-6417... 

N. Zhang, J. Li, X. Wang, Z. Xia, H. Liu, Preparation and properties of bisphenol A-based sulfonated poly(arylene ether sulfone) proton exchange membranes for direct methanol fuel cell, J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 114 (1) (2009) 304-312. 

C.H. Lee, Y.Z. Wang, Synthesis and characterization of epoxy-based semi-interpenetrating polymer networks sulfonated polyimides proton-exchange membranes for direct methanol fuel cell applications, J. Polym. Sci., Part A Polym. Chem. 46 (6) (2008) 2262-2276. 

A typical proton exchange membrane (PEM)-based direct methanol fuel cell comprises anode, PEM, and cathode. At the anode, methanol is oxidized to produce CO2 at the cathode, oxygen reacts with protons and electrons to produce water ... 

The electrocatalytic oxidation of methanol has been widely investigated for exploitation in the so-called direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC). The most likely type of DMFC to be commercialized in the near future seems to be the polymer electrolyte membrane DMFC using proton exchange membrane, a special form of low-temperature fuel cell based on PEM technology. In this cell, methanol (a liquid fuel available at low cost, easily handled, stored, and transported) is dissolved in an acid electrolyte and burned directly by air to carbon dioxide. The prominence of the DMFCs with respect to safety, simple device fabrication, and low cost has rendered them promising candidates for applications ranging from portable power sources to secondary cells for prospective electric vehicles. Notwithstanding, DMFCs were... 

All fuel cells for use in vehicles are based on proton-exchange-membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) technology. The methanol fuel-processor fuel cell (FPFC) vehicle comprises an on-board fuel processor with downstream PEMFC. On-board methanol reforming was a development focus of industry for a number of years until around 2002. Direct-methanol fuel cells (DMFC) are no longer considered for the propulsion of commercial vehicles in the industry (see also Chapter 13). 

Polyphosphazene-based PEMs are potentially attractive materials for both hydrogen/air and direct methanol fuel cells because of their reported chemical and thermal stability and due to the ease of chemically attaching various side chains for ion exchange sites and polymer cross-linking onto the — P=N— polymer backbone. Polyphosphazenes were explored originally for use as elastomers and later as solvent-free solid polymer electrolytes in lithium batteries, and subsequently for proton exchange membranes. 

Pt-based electrocatalysts are usually employed in proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFC) and direct methanol fuel cells (DMSC). In direct-methanol fuel cells (DMFCs), aqueous methanol is electro-oxidized to produce COj and electrical current. To achieve enhanced DMFC performance, it is important to develop electrocatalysts with higher activity for methanol oxidation. Pt-based catalysts are currently favored for methanol electro-oxidation. In particular, Pt-Ru catalysts, which gave the best results, seem to be very promising catalysts for this application. Indeed, since Pt activates the C-H bounds of methanol (producing a Pt-CO and other surface species which induces platinum poisoning), an oxophilic metal, such as Ru, associated to platinum activates water to accelerate oxidation of surface-adsorbed CO to... 

Carbon aerogels and xerogels have been used as supports for Pt and Pt-based electrocatalysts for proton-exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs), also known as polymer-electrolyte fuel cells [56,58,83-90], These fuel cells are convenient and environmentally acceptable power sources for portable and stationary devices and electric vehicle applications [91], These PEMFC systems can use H2 or methanol as fuel. This last type of fuel cell is sometimes called a DMFC (direct methanol fuel cell). 

Shen J, Xi J, Zhu W, Chen L, Qiu X (2006) A nanocomposite proton exchange membrane based on PVDF, poly(2-acrylamido-2-methyl propylene sulfonic acid), and nano-Al203 for direct methanol fuel cells. J Power Sources 159 894—899... 

Partially disulfonated hydroquinone-based PAES random copolymers have been synthesized and characterized for application as proton exchange membranes [128]. A copolymer with a 25% degree of disulfonafion showed the best balance between water uptake and proton conductivity. The copolymers showed substantially reduced methanol permeability compared with Nafion and a satisfactory performance of direct methanol fuel cell applications. 

Arico AS, Baglio V, Di Blasi A et al (2006) Proton exchange membranes based on the short-side-chain perfluorinated ionomer for high temperature direct methanol fuel cells. Desalination 199 271-273... 

The route map is split into a number of sections based on application (stationary, vehicular and portable) and technology [primarily direct methanol fuel cells (DMFCs), proton-exchange membrane (PEM) and solid oxide... 

This chapter is a review focussed on the development of ionomers based on aromatic polysulfones for their application as Polymer Electrolyte Membrane (PEM) in Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells (PEMFC) or in Direct Methanol Fuel Cells (DMFC). Different types of synthesis routes have been discussed in this chapter in order to obtain ionomers based on polysulfones with variation in structural designs. Special attention is given to the impact of the structural design of the ionomer on various properties such as membrane morphology, thermo-mechanical stability and protonic conductivity of the membranes for their utilization as PEMs. 

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