TY - JOUR
T1 - A critical review of electrolytes for advanced low- and high-temperature polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells
AU - Javed, Aroosa
AU - Palafox Gonzalez, Paulina
AU - Thangadurai, Venkataraman
N1 - The Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) has supported this work through discovery grants to Venkataraman Thangadurai (Award No. RGPIN-2021-02493) and the NSERC Collaborative Research and Training Experience (CREATE) grant.
PY - 2023/6/28
Y1 - 2023/6/28
N2 - In the 21st century, proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) represent a promising source of power generation due to their high efficiency compared with coal combustion engines and eco-friendly design. Proton exchange membranes (PEMs), being the critical component of PEMFCs, determine their overall performance. Perfluorosulfonic acid (PFSA) based Nafion and nonfluorinated-based polybenzimidazole (PBI) membranes are commonly used for low- and high-temperature PEMFCs, respectively. However, these membranes have some drawbacks such as high cost, fuel crossover, and reduction in proton conductivity at high temperatures for commercialization. Here, we report the requirements of functional properties of PEMs for PEMFCs, the proton conduction mechanism, and the challenges which hinder their commercial adaptation. Recent research efforts have been focused on the modifications of PEMs by composite materials to overcome their drawbacks such as stability and proton conductivity. We discuss some current developments in membranes for PEMFCs with special emphasis on hybrid membranes based on Nafion, PBI, and other nonfluorinated proton conducting membranes prepared through the incorporation of different inorganic, organic, and hybrid fillers.
AB - In the 21st century, proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) represent a promising source of power generation due to their high efficiency compared with coal combustion engines and eco-friendly design. Proton exchange membranes (PEMs), being the critical component of PEMFCs, determine their overall performance. Perfluorosulfonic acid (PFSA) based Nafion and nonfluorinated-based polybenzimidazole (PBI) membranes are commonly used for low- and high-temperature PEMFCs, respectively. However, these membranes have some drawbacks such as high cost, fuel crossover, and reduction in proton conductivity at high temperatures for commercialization. Here, we report the requirements of functional properties of PEMs for PEMFCs, the proton conduction mechanism, and the challenges which hinder their commercial adaptation. Recent research efforts have been focused on the modifications of PEMs by composite materials to overcome their drawbacks such as stability and proton conductivity. We discuss some current developments in membranes for PEMFCs with special emphasis on hybrid membranes based on Nafion, PBI, and other nonfluorinated proton conducting membranes prepared through the incorporation of different inorganic, organic, and hybrid fillers.
KW - Composite proton conductors
KW - Nafion
KW - Proton conduction mechanism
KW - Proton conductors
KW - Proton exchange membrane fuel cells
U2 - 10.1021/acsami.3c02635
DO - 10.1021/acsami.3c02635
M3 - Review article
C2 - 37326582
AN - SCOPUS:85164208967
SN - 1944-8244
VL - 15
SP - 29674
EP - 29699
JO - ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces
JF - ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces
IS - 25
ER -