The Impact of Chemical-Mechanical Ex Situ Aging on PFSA Membranes for Fuel Cells
A proton-exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) constitutes today one of the preferred technologies to promote hydrogen-based alternative energies. However, the large-scale deployment of PEMFCs is still hampered by insufficient durability and reliability. In particular, the degradation of the polyelect...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2021-05-01
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| Series: | Membranes |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0375/11/5/366 |
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| author | Mylène Robert Assma El Kaddouri Jean-Christophe Perrin Kévin Mozet Jérôme Dillet Jean-Yves Morel Olivier Lottin |
| author_facet | Mylène Robert Assma El Kaddouri Jean-Christophe Perrin Kévin Mozet Jérôme Dillet Jean-Yves Morel Olivier Lottin |
| author_sort | Mylène Robert |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | A proton-exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) constitutes today one of the preferred technologies to promote hydrogen-based alternative energies. However, the large-scale deployment of PEMFCs is still hampered by insufficient durability and reliability. In particular, the degradation of the polyelectrolyte membrane, caused by harsh mechanical and chemical stresses experienced during fuel cell operation, has been identified as one of the main factors restricting the PEMFC lifetime. An innovative chemical-mechanical ex situ aging device was developed to simultaneously expose the membrane to mechanical fatigue and an oxidizing environment (i.e., free radicals) in order to reproduce conditions close to those encountered in fuel cell systems. A cyclic compressive stress of 5 or 10 MPa was applied during several hours while a degrading solution (H<sub>2</sub>O<sub>2</sub> or a Fenton solution) was circulated in contact with the membrane. The results demonstrated that both composite Nafion<sup>™</sup> XL and non-reinforced Nafion<sup>™</sup> NR211 membranes are significantly degraded by the conjoint mechanical and chemical stress exposure. The fluoride emission rate (FER) was generally slightly lower with XL than with NR211, which could be attributed to the degradation mitigation strategies developed for composite XL, except when the pressure level or the aging duration were increased, suggesting a limitation of the improved durability of XL. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T11:18:52Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-2cdc98d86d124d8aa5a229b32b0f8a37 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2077-0375 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T11:18:52Z |
| publishDate | 2021-05-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Membranes |
| spelling | doaj.art-2cdc98d86d124d8aa5a229b32b0f8a372023-11-21T20:12:54ZengMDPI AGMembranes2077-03752021-05-0111536610.3390/membranes11050366The Impact of Chemical-Mechanical Ex Situ Aging on PFSA Membranes for Fuel CellsMylène Robert0Assma El Kaddouri1Jean-Christophe Perrin2Kévin Mozet3Jérôme Dillet4Jean-Yves Morel5Olivier Lottin6Université de Lorraine, CNRS, LEMTA, F-54000 Nancy, FranceUniversité de Lorraine, CNRS, LEMTA, F-54000 Nancy, FranceUniversité de Lorraine, CNRS, LEMTA, F-54000 Nancy, FranceUniversité de Lorraine, CNRS, LEMTA, F-54000 Nancy, FranceUniversité de Lorraine, CNRS, LEMTA, F-54000 Nancy, FranceUniversité de Lorraine, CNRS, LEMTA, F-54000 Nancy, FranceUniversité de Lorraine, CNRS, LEMTA, F-54000 Nancy, FranceA proton-exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) constitutes today one of the preferred technologies to promote hydrogen-based alternative energies. However, the large-scale deployment of PEMFCs is still hampered by insufficient durability and reliability. In particular, the degradation of the polyelectrolyte membrane, caused by harsh mechanical and chemical stresses experienced during fuel cell operation, has been identified as one of the main factors restricting the PEMFC lifetime. An innovative chemical-mechanical ex situ aging device was developed to simultaneously expose the membrane to mechanical fatigue and an oxidizing environment (i.e., free radicals) in order to reproduce conditions close to those encountered in fuel cell systems. A cyclic compressive stress of 5 or 10 MPa was applied during several hours while a degrading solution (H<sub>2</sub>O<sub>2</sub> or a Fenton solution) was circulated in contact with the membrane. The results demonstrated that both composite Nafion<sup>™</sup> XL and non-reinforced Nafion<sup>™</sup> NR211 membranes are significantly degraded by the conjoint mechanical and chemical stress exposure. The fluoride emission rate (FER) was generally slightly lower with XL than with NR211, which could be attributed to the degradation mitigation strategies developed for composite XL, except when the pressure level or the aging duration were increased, suggesting a limitation of the improved durability of XL.https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0375/11/5/366chemical degradationdurabilitymechanical fatigueNafion<sup>™</sup> membranesPEM fuel cell |
| spellingShingle | Mylène Robert Assma El Kaddouri Jean-Christophe Perrin Kévin Mozet Jérôme Dillet Jean-Yves Morel Olivier Lottin The Impact of Chemical-Mechanical Ex Situ Aging on PFSA Membranes for Fuel Cells Membranes chemical degradation durability mechanical fatigue Nafion<sup>™</sup> membranes PEM fuel cell |
| title | The Impact of Chemical-Mechanical Ex Situ Aging on PFSA Membranes for Fuel Cells |
| title_full | The Impact of Chemical-Mechanical Ex Situ Aging on PFSA Membranes for Fuel Cells |
| title_fullStr | The Impact of Chemical-Mechanical Ex Situ Aging on PFSA Membranes for Fuel Cells |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Impact of Chemical-Mechanical Ex Situ Aging on PFSA Membranes for Fuel Cells |
| title_short | The Impact of Chemical-Mechanical Ex Situ Aging on PFSA Membranes for Fuel Cells |
| title_sort | impact of chemical mechanical ex situ aging on pfsa membranes for fuel cells |
| topic | chemical degradation durability mechanical fatigue Nafion<sup>™</sup> membranes PEM fuel cell |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0375/11/5/366 |
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