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Materials for polymer electrolyte fuel cells

Materials for polymer electrolyte fuel cells
Materials for polymer electrolyte fuel cells
The commercial success of the polymer electrolyte fuel cell (PEFC) will to a large extent be determined by the nature, properties, functionality, and cost of the electrochemical sub-components used in the membrane electrode assembly (MEA). Materials research activities in Switzerland for the PEFC are being pursued at the Paul Scherrer Institut (Villigen AG) and the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne with different objectives. The radiation grafted proton exchange membrane developed at the Paul Scherrer Institut (PSI) has been brought to a near-product-like quality level with encouraging performance close to state-of-the-art materials and a life-time of several thousand hours. Furthermore, the membrane shows low methanol crossover in the direct methanol fuel cell. In addition, polyarylene block copolymer membranes have been investigated as an option for fluorine-free membranes. The electrocatalysis of Pt in acidic solution and in contact with a solid electrolyte, the development of new methanol oxidation and oxygen reduction catalysts, and co-sputtering of Pt and carbon as an alternative method for catalyst preparation are areas of fundamental research. More applied research is performed in the characterization of commercial electrodes in single cells, using standard as well as advanced diagnostic tools developed in-house. This article gives an overview over the research and development projects in Switzerland related to materials and components for the PEFC.
0009-4293
826-836
Gubler, Lorenz
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Beck, Nina
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Gursel, Selmiye Alkan
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Hajbolouri, Fia
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Kramer, Denis
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Reiner, Andreas
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Steiger, Beat
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Scherer, Günther G.
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Wokaun, Alexander
54ef9f9a-9751-4ce5-8dc0-2a6cc998f474
Rajesh, Bashyam
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Thampi, K. Ravindranathan
a1699b40-abf6-4dc2-aa0c-44395712856c
Gubler, Lorenz
65f0fe8d-c74e-4313-bbd0-d81b5e4c1e47
Beck, Nina
7e9e435c-fdc5-406e-976e-f91b19f43cd2
Gursel, Selmiye Alkan
1992cdf2-40f4-479d-a29f-31896ae6f19e
Hajbolouri, Fia
699f77f7-9223-4f28-925e-a0c4d2b4d11d
Kramer, Denis
1faae37a-fab7-4edd-99ee-ae4c30d3cde4
Reiner, Andreas
21bbc8a7-5f2b-4136-bf1e-0c8479a137f8
Steiger, Beat
cc04b4f4-107b-4acb-bcad-98317a919e86
Scherer, Günther G.
56ef4270-8ab3-4836-b50a-2647c6d9d2cc
Wokaun, Alexander
54ef9f9a-9751-4ce5-8dc0-2a6cc998f474
Rajesh, Bashyam
7e9b1916-a4f0-41b3-a4c5-6db727620663
Thampi, K. Ravindranathan
a1699b40-abf6-4dc2-aa0c-44395712856c

Gubler, Lorenz, Beck, Nina, Gursel, Selmiye Alkan, Hajbolouri, Fia, Kramer, Denis, Reiner, Andreas, Steiger, Beat, Scherer, Günther G., Wokaun, Alexander, Rajesh, Bashyam and Thampi, K. Ravindranathan (2004) Materials for polymer electrolyte fuel cells. [in special issue: Fuel Cell Research in Switzerland] CHIMIA International Journal for Chemistry, 58 (12), 826-836. (doi:10.2533/000942904777677128).

Record type: Article

Abstract

The commercial success of the polymer electrolyte fuel cell (PEFC) will to a large extent be determined by the nature, properties, functionality, and cost of the electrochemical sub-components used in the membrane electrode assembly (MEA). Materials research activities in Switzerland for the PEFC are being pursued at the Paul Scherrer Institut (Villigen AG) and the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne with different objectives. The radiation grafted proton exchange membrane developed at the Paul Scherrer Institut (PSI) has been brought to a near-product-like quality level with encouraging performance close to state-of-the-art materials and a life-time of several thousand hours. Furthermore, the membrane shows low methanol crossover in the direct methanol fuel cell. In addition, polyarylene block copolymer membranes have been investigated as an option for fluorine-free membranes. The electrocatalysis of Pt in acidic solution and in contact with a solid electrolyte, the development of new methanol oxidation and oxygen reduction catalysts, and co-sputtering of Pt and carbon as an alternative method for catalyst preparation are areas of fundamental research. More applied research is performed in the characterization of commercial electrodes in single cells, using standard as well as advanced diagnostic tools developed in-house. This article gives an overview over the research and development projects in Switzerland related to materials and components for the PEFC.

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More information

Published date: December 2004
Organisations: Engineering Mats & Surface Engineerg Gp

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 189841
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/189841
ISSN: 0009-4293
PURE UUID: e17c6822-2d70-41e5-9dc7-a0dda76acb48

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Date deposited: 13 Jun 2011 13:18
Last modified: 14 Mar 2024 03:36

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Contributors

Author: Lorenz Gubler
Author: Nina Beck
Author: Selmiye Alkan Gursel
Author: Fia Hajbolouri
Author: Denis Kramer
Author: Andreas Reiner
Author: Beat Steiger
Author: Günther G. Scherer
Author: Alexander Wokaun
Author: Bashyam Rajesh
Author: K. Ravindranathan Thampi

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