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Phosphonic acid based copolymer fuel cell membrane
Schlichting, Gregory J. Horan, James L. Dillon, Anne C. Herring, Andrew M.
Schlichting, Gregory J.
Horan, James L.
Dillon, Anne C.
Herring, Andrew M.
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2010
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Abstract
Advances in fuel cell membranes are needed for commercialization to be realized. These advances need to be made in many areas including mechanical durability, chemical resistance and increased power density. However, advances in the first two areas need to be accompanied by an increase in power density, in which the underlying problem is the rate of ionic transport. There are two main ways to increase transport; increase the hydration within the membrane to increase proton transfer via the vehicle mechanism or to increase the acidity of the polymer by using super-acids or increasing the number of acidic groups present. Since there are many benefits to being able to run under hot, dry conditions, the second approach is more acceptable for designing a new copolymer system. In this work, zirconium divinyl phosphonate (VZP) has been copolymerized with vinyl phosphonic acid (VPA) to not only increase the number of acidic sites compared to many other polymer systems, but to also incorporate a super acid to help increase conductive pathways. 20%VZP co-VPA was synthesized via free radical polymerization to form a clear, flexible membrane with high proton conductivity. The film has been characterized using XRD, SAXS, FTIR, CPMAS NMR, TGA, DSC, PFGSE NMR and EIS. Characterization revealed an amorphous copolymer. Further tailoring and optimization of this system could yield a commercially viable fuel cell membrane.
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