Abstract:
Disclosed is an electrolyte membrane for a membrane-electrode assembly including a block copolymer composed of a hydrophilic domain and a hydrophobic domain.
Abstract:
A solid electrolyte includes an amorphous silica network and phosphoric acid. The phosphoric acid is contained in the amorphous silica network, and is typically in molecular form. The ratio of silicon to phosphorus in the solid electrolyte is about 1:4, and the silicon is in a four-coordinated state. The solid electrolyte is in the form of a dried (e.g., anhydrous) gel. The solid electrolyte may be used in a fuel cell membrane. Preparing the solid electrolyte includes reacting phosphoric acid in the liquid state with tetrachloride compound including silicon and a displaceable ligand to yield a fluid suspension, heating the fluid suspension to yield a liquid electrolyte comprising a particulate solid, separating the particulate solid from the liquid electrolyte, combining the particulate solid with water to yield a homogenous solution, forming a gel from the homogeneous solution, and removing water from the gel to yield the solid electrolyte.
Abstract:
A sulfonated polyphosphazene copolymer proton exchange membrane material, and a method for preparing such membrane includes a macromolecule initiator as bromo polyphosphazene is subjected to atom transfer radical polymerization with styrene, yielding a graft copolymer, which is hydrazinolyzed with hydrazine hydrate resulting in a copolymer including a hydroxyl group. The copolymer is reacted with 1,4-butane sultone to yield a sulfonated copolymer finally. The polymer is cross-linked with 2,6-di(hydroxymethyl)-4-methyl phenol (BHMP) as a cross linking agent in the presence of methyl sulfonic acid, yielding cross-linked proton exchange membrane. Such cross-linked graft copolymer membrane has high proton conductivity, low methanol hindrance, and low cost, and has ideal effect when applied in fuel cells as proton exchange membrane material.
Abstract:
Disclosed is a composite electrolyte membrane comprising a microporous polymer substrate and a sulfonated polymer electrolyte. The composite electrolyte membrane comprises: a first polymer electrolyte layer formed of a first non-fluorinated or partially-fluorinated sulfonated polymer electrolyte; a non-fluorinated or partially-fluorinated microporous polymer substrate stacked on the first polymer electrolyte layer, wherein pores of the microporous polymer substrate are impregnated with a second non-fluorinated or partially-fluorinated sulfonated polymer electrolyte, and the first polymer electrolyte and the second polymer electrolyte are entangled with each other on an interface thereof; and a third polymer electrolyte layer formed on the microporous polymer substrate impregnated with the second polymer electrolyte by a third non-fluorinated or partially-fluorinated sulfonated polymer electrolyte, wherein the second polymer electrolyte and the third polymer electrolyte are entangled with each other on an interface thereof. A method for manufacturing the composite electrolyte membrane, and a membrane-electrode assembly (MEA) and a fuel cell comprising the composite electrolyte membrane are also disclosed.
Abstract:
The present invention provides an anion exchange resin capable of producing an electrolyte membrane for a fuel cell, a binder for forming an electrode catalyst layer and a battery electrode catalyst layer. The anion exchange resin of the present invention has a hydrophobic unit, a hydrophilic unit and divalent fluorine-containing groups. The hydrophobic unit has divalent hydrophobic groups composed of one aromatic ring or a plurality of aromatic rings that are repeated via carbon-carbon bond. The hydrophilic unit has divalent hydrophilic groups composed of one aromatic ring or a plurality of aromatic rings, at least one of which has an anion exchange group, that are repeated via carbon-carbon bond. The divalent fluorine-containing groups have a specific structure and are bonded via carbon-carbon bond to the hydrophobic unit and/or the hydrophilic unit and/or a moiety other than these units.
Abstract:
A non crosslinked, covalently crosslinked and/or ionically crosslinked polymer, having repeating units of the general formula (1) —K—R— (1) In which K is a bond, oxygen, sulfur, the radical R is a divalent radical of an aromatic or heteroaromatic compound.
Abstract:
Provided are a polymer electrolyte membrane used in fuel cells, and a method for producing the same, the method including a step of filling a crosslinkable ion conductor in the pores of a porous nanoweb support; and a step of crosslinking the ion conductor filled in the pores of the porous nanoweb support. The method for producing a polymer electrolyte membrane uses a relatively smaller amount of an organic solvent, can ameliorate defects of the support caused by solvent evaporation, and can enhance the impregnability of the ion conductor to the support and the convenience of the process.
Abstract:
Disclosed is a composite electrolyte membrane comprising a microporous polymer substrate and a sulfonated polymer electrolyte. The composite electrolyte membrane comprises: a first polymer electrolyte layer formed of a first non-fluorinated or partially-fluorinated sulfonated polymer electrolyte; a non-fluorinated or partially-fluorinated microporous polymer substrate stacked on the first polymer electrolyte layer, wherein pores of the microporous polymer substrate are impregnated with a second non-fluorinated or partially-fluorinated sulfonated polymer electrolyte, and the first polymer electrolyte and the second polymer electrolyte are entangled with each other on an interface thereof; and a third polymer electrolyte layer formed on the microporous polymer substrate impregnated with the second polymer electrolyte by a third non-fluorinated or partially-fluorinated sulfonated polymer electrolyte, wherein the second polymer electrolyte and the third polymer electrolyte are entangled with each other on an interface thereof. A method for manufacturing the composite electrolyte membrane, and a membrane-electrode assembly (MEA) and a fuel cell comprising the composite electrolyte membrane are also disclosed.
Abstract:
It is an object of the present invention to provide a sulfonic acid group-containing polymer and a sulfonic acid group-containing aromatic compound, which have excellent proton conductivity even under the low humidification condition, are excellent in mechanical strength and chemical stability and, moreover, can attain high output and excellent physical durability when processed into a solid polymer fuel cell, as well as a polymer electrolyte material, a polymer electrolyte molded product and a solid polymer fuel cell respectively using the same. The sulfonic acid group-containing polymer of the present invention is a sulfonic acid group-containing polymer comprising a constituent unit containing a sulfonic acid group (A1), and a constituent unit not containing a sulfonic acid group (A2), wherein the polymer contains a constituent unit having a specified structure as at least one constituent unit containing a sulfonic acid group (A1) at 25 mol % or more based on a sum of the constituent unit containing a sulfonic acid group (A1). Further, the polymer electrolyte material, polymer electrolyte molded product and solid polymer fuel cell of the present invention are constituted using such a sulfonic acid group-containing polymer.
Abstract:
New polymeric networks bearing benzimidazole units have been prepared. These polymeric networks will combine high proton conductivity, superior mechanical properties and thermal and oxidative stability due to the existence of polar benzimidazole groups and the presence of the unique polymeric architecture. The prepared polymer networks can be used in the catalyst ink of the electrodes in high temperature PEM fuel cells.