TY - GEN
T1 - Nano-scale investigation of morphologies in polymer electrolyte/PVDF blend membranes
AU - Goldbach, James T.
AU - More, Karren L.
AU - Gaboury, Scott R.
AU - Foure, Michel
AU - Mountz, David A.
AU - Manheim, Amy L.
PY - 2014
Y1 - 2014
N2 - The polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cell is a technology integral to the overall transition from a petroleum-based economy to a renewable resource/hydrogen based economy. At the heart of this essential device is a highly specialized polymer membrane that has been tailored to have high proton conductivity, while maintaining low permeability to the fuel gases and low electrical conductivity. During extended operation in a fuel cell environment, degradation of the membrane can occur (1), contributing to the ultimate failure of the PEM fuel cell. The morphologies of a series of novel polymer electrolyte/poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) blend membranes have been evaluated using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), both before and after incorporation of the membrane into a membrane electrode assembly (MEA) and following electrochemical aging of the MEA in a fuel cell. In particular, nanometer-scale changes to the polymer structure and changes in spatial distributions of fluorine, sulfur, and other elements were analyzed. The effect of microstructural and microchemical observations has been correlated to a decline in fuel cell performance with time.
AB - The polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cell is a technology integral to the overall transition from a petroleum-based economy to a renewable resource/hydrogen based economy. At the heart of this essential device is a highly specialized polymer membrane that has been tailored to have high proton conductivity, while maintaining low permeability to the fuel gases and low electrical conductivity. During extended operation in a fuel cell environment, degradation of the membrane can occur (1), contributing to the ultimate failure of the PEM fuel cell. The morphologies of a series of novel polymer electrolyte/poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) blend membranes have been evaluated using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), both before and after incorporation of the membrane into a membrane electrode assembly (MEA) and following electrochemical aging of the MEA in a fuel cell. In particular, nanometer-scale changes to the polymer structure and changes in spatial distributions of fluorine, sulfur, and other elements were analyzed. The effect of microstructural and microchemical observations has been correlated to a decline in fuel cell performance with time.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84912123636&partnerID=8YFLogxK
M3 - Conference contribution
AN - SCOPUS:84912123636
T3 - Topical Conference on Hydrogen 2006, Held at the 2006 AIChE Spring National Meeting
SP - 169
EP - 178
BT - Topical Conference on Hydrogen 2006, Held at the 2006 AIChE Spring National Meeting
PB - AIChE
T2 - Topical Conference on Hydrogen 2006, Held at the 2006 AIChE Spring National Meeting
Y2 - 23 April 2006 through 27 April 2006
ER -
