Loughborough University
Browse
J Membrane Sci - accepted 31122018.pdf (3.2 MB)

Poly(2,5-benzimidazole)/sulfonated sepiolite composite membranes with low phosphoric acid doping levels for PEMFC applications in a wide temperature range

Download (3.2 MB)
journal contribution
posted on 2019-01-11, 11:10 authored by Xiaoxiao Zhang, Qingting Liu, Lei Xia, Dongyang Huang, Xudong Fu, Rong Zhang, Shengfei Hu, Feng Zhao, Xiao Li, Xujin BaoXujin Bao
o broaden the operating temperature range of phosphoric acid (PA) doped polybenzimidazole membrane-based proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) toward low temperatures, a novel series of poly(2,5-benzimidazole) (ABPBI)/sulfonated sepiolite (S-Sep) composite membranes (ABPBI/S-Sep) with low PA doping levels (DLs) were prepared via in-situ synthesis. The desirably enhanced mechanical, thermal, and oxidative stabilities of ABPBI/S-Sep composite membranes were achieved by constructing ABPBI chains arranged along the sepiolite (Sep) fibers and acid-base crosslinks formed between S-Sep fibrous particles and ABPBI chains. Benefiting from the richness of high temperature stable bound water and the excellent water absorbability of Sep particles that enable the formation of additive proton conducting paths, the composite membranes retained bounded PA and achieved much higher proton conductivities under both anhydrous and hydrous conditions compared to PA-doped ABPBI membranes. Proton conductivity values above 0.01 S/cm at 40-90 °C/20-98% RH conditions and 90-180 °C/anhydrous conditions as well as peak power density of 0.13 and 0.23 W/cm2 at 80 and 180 °C with 0% RH, respectively from the ABPBI/2S-Sep composite membrane are more holistic compared to Nafion at low temperatures and polybenzimidazole-based membranes at high temperatures, respectively. The excellent properties of ABPBI/S-Sep composite membranes suggest them as prospective candidates for PEMFCs applications in a wide temperature range.

Funding

This work was financially supported by the Hubei Provincial Natural Science Foundation Project (Grant No. 2017CFB575) and the Hubei Provincial Key Technology R&D Program (Grant Nos. 201710A01 and 201710A14).

History

School

  • Aeronautical, Automotive, Chemical and Materials Engineering

Department

  • Materials

Published in

Journal of Membrane Science

Volume

574

Pages

282-298

Citation

ZHANG, X. ... et al., 2018. Poly(2,5-benzimidazole)/sulfonated sepiolite composite membranes with low phosphoric acid doping levels for PEMFC applications in a wide temperature range. Journal of Membrane Science, 574, pp. 282-298.

Publisher

© Crown. Published by Elsevier

Version

  • AM (Accepted Manuscript)

Publisher statement

This paper was accepted for publication in the journal Journal of Membrane Science and the definitive published version is available at https://doi.org/10.1016/j.memsci.2018.12.085

Acceptance date

2018-12-30

Publication date

2018-12-31

Copyright date

2019

ISSN

0376-7388

Language

  • en