Title

Improvement Of Dmfc Performance And Stability Using Multi-Layer Structure Membranes

Abstract

Direct methanol fuel cells (DMFC) are desirable for transportation and portable applications such as cell phones, laptops since they use liquid fuel and are simple in system design. Novel multi-layer structure DMFC membranes with methanol barrier layers based on low SD sulfonated poly(ether ether ketone) (SPEEK) were presented. SPEEK membranes with sulfonation degrees ranging from 40 to 60% showed good potential for DMFC applications. However, the DMFC performance with higher SD showed decreased performance at higher temperature due to high methanol crossover. This largely increased methanol crossover was induced by severe membrane swelling of the higher SD SPEEK membrane in the higher temperature methanol solution. A series of multi-layer structure membranes with a thin and lower sulfonation degree SPEEK barrier layer showed suppressed methanol crossover and acceptable cell resistance. The SPEEK-41 barrier layer effectively blocked methanol crossover, especially at 80°C, less swelling of the barrier layer helped to significantly slow down methanol crossover. The MEA with the multi-layer membrane achieved improved methanol utilization and enhanced DMFC performance, and used less costly materials as the proton exchange electrolyte compared to Nafion. Multi-layer structure membranes also showed a promising strategy for DMFC improvement with other hydrocarbon based membrane materials. This is an abstract of a paper presented ACS Fuel Chemistry Meeting (Washington, DC Fall 2005).

Publication Date

12-1-2005

Publication Title

ACS Division of Fuel Chemistry, Preprints

Volume

50

Issue

2

Number of Pages

654-655

Document Type

Article; Proceedings Paper

Personal Identifier

scopus

Socpus ID

32244436825 (Scopus)

Source API URL

https://api.elsevier.com/content/abstract/scopus_id/32244436825

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