Fuel cell performance improvement via the steric effect of a hydrocarbon-based binder for cathode in proton exchange membrane fuel cells
Abstract In this study, a sulfonated poly(ether sulfone) having cardo-type fluorenyl groups (FL-SPES) was investigated as a cathodic binder to improve fuel cell performance via increased the oxygen diffusion in the cathode. The maximum power density achieved by using the membrane electrode assembly...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Nature Portfolio
2022-08-01
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| Series: | Scientific Reports |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-18464-6 |
| _version_ | 1811340490646224896 |
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| author | Jung-Eun Cha Won Jae Cho Jeemin Hwang Dong-Jun Seo Young-Woo Choi Won Bae Kim |
| author_facet | Jung-Eun Cha Won Jae Cho Jeemin Hwang Dong-Jun Seo Young-Woo Choi Won Bae Kim |
| author_sort | Jung-Eun Cha |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract In this study, a sulfonated poly(ether sulfone) having cardo-type fluorenyl groups (FL-SPES) was investigated as a cathodic binder to improve fuel cell performance via increased the oxygen diffusion in the cathode. The maximum power density achieved by using the membrane electrode assembly (MEA) prepared with FL-SPES with a low ion exchange capacity (IEC) of 1.31 meq g–1 was 520 mW cm–2, which is more than twice as high as that of BP-SPES (210 mW cm–2) having typical biphenyl groups with a similar IEC. At high IEC of 1.55 meq g–1, the power density obtained by using BP-SPES was improved to 454 mW cm–2 but remained lower than that of FL-SPES. In addition, although the IEC, swelling degree, and specific resistance were similar to each other, the gas permeability of FL-SPES was improved by approximately three times compared to that of BP-SPES. The steric structure of cardo-type FL-SPES increased the free volume between the polymer backbones, leading to an increase in gas transfer. Consequently, oxygen diffusion was promoted at the cathode, resulting in improved fuel cell performance. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-13T18:42:45Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-972fcc1bd3724fe7b3f8437e9d1ba28a |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-13T18:42:45Z |
| publishDate | 2022-08-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Scientific Reports |
| spelling | doaj.art-972fcc1bd3724fe7b3f8437e9d1ba28a2022-12-22T02:34:40ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222022-08-011211810.1038/s41598-022-18464-6Fuel cell performance improvement via the steric effect of a hydrocarbon-based binder for cathode in proton exchange membrane fuel cellsJung-Eun Cha0Won Jae Cho1Jeemin Hwang2Dong-Jun Seo3Young-Woo Choi4Won Bae Kim5Hydrogen Energy Research Division, Fuel Cell Research & Demonstration Center, Korea Institute of Energy Research (KIER)Clean&Science Co., Ltd.Hydrogen Energy Research Division, Fuel Cell Research & Demonstration Center, Korea Institute of Energy Research (KIER)Hydrogen Energy Research Division, Fuel Cell Research & Demonstration Center, Korea Institute of Energy Research (KIER)Hydrogen Energy Research Division, Fuel Cell Research & Demonstration Center, Korea Institute of Energy Research (KIER)Department of Chemical Engineering, Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH)Abstract In this study, a sulfonated poly(ether sulfone) having cardo-type fluorenyl groups (FL-SPES) was investigated as a cathodic binder to improve fuel cell performance via increased the oxygen diffusion in the cathode. The maximum power density achieved by using the membrane electrode assembly (MEA) prepared with FL-SPES with a low ion exchange capacity (IEC) of 1.31 meq g–1 was 520 mW cm–2, which is more than twice as high as that of BP-SPES (210 mW cm–2) having typical biphenyl groups with a similar IEC. At high IEC of 1.55 meq g–1, the power density obtained by using BP-SPES was improved to 454 mW cm–2 but remained lower than that of FL-SPES. In addition, although the IEC, swelling degree, and specific resistance were similar to each other, the gas permeability of FL-SPES was improved by approximately three times compared to that of BP-SPES. The steric structure of cardo-type FL-SPES increased the free volume between the polymer backbones, leading to an increase in gas transfer. Consequently, oxygen diffusion was promoted at the cathode, resulting in improved fuel cell performance.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-18464-6 |
| spellingShingle | Jung-Eun Cha Won Jae Cho Jeemin Hwang Dong-Jun Seo Young-Woo Choi Won Bae Kim Fuel cell performance improvement via the steric effect of a hydrocarbon-based binder for cathode in proton exchange membrane fuel cells Scientific Reports |
| title | Fuel cell performance improvement via the steric effect of a hydrocarbon-based binder for cathode in proton exchange membrane fuel cells |
| title_full | Fuel cell performance improvement via the steric effect of a hydrocarbon-based binder for cathode in proton exchange membrane fuel cells |
| title_fullStr | Fuel cell performance improvement via the steric effect of a hydrocarbon-based binder for cathode in proton exchange membrane fuel cells |
| title_full_unstemmed | Fuel cell performance improvement via the steric effect of a hydrocarbon-based binder for cathode in proton exchange membrane fuel cells |
| title_short | Fuel cell performance improvement via the steric effect of a hydrocarbon-based binder for cathode in proton exchange membrane fuel cells |
| title_sort | fuel cell performance improvement via the steric effect of a hydrocarbon based binder for cathode in proton exchange membrane fuel cells |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-18464-6 |
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