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Title: Novel Fluorinated Ionomer for PEM Fuel Cells SBIR Phase I Final Scientific / Technical Report Period Covering April 9, 2018 to January 8, 2019

Abstract

Giner, Inc. has collaborated with Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) and Compact Membrane Systems, Inc. (CMS) to develop novel highly fluorinated hydrocarbon ionomers for polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cells. Oxygen permeability tests have shown that these ionomers possess much higher O2 permeability than Nafion, which help to improve the local O2 transport in the fuel cell cathode. The benefits of developed ionomers have also been validated in membrane and electrode assemblies (MEAs) of PEM fuel cells; the developed ionomer has improved H2/air fuel cell performance at high current density region, demonstrating tremendous decease of local oxygen transport resistance. The partial oxygen pressure experiments have been designed to isolate local oxygen transport resistance that is pertaining to the ionomer thin film surrounding Pt particles. Electrode structures have been characterized and correlated with fuel cell performance. During this Phase I, Giner and its collaborators have successfully accomplished the following key milestones: 1) Synthesized two categories of fluorinated ionomers and delivered 10 grams of each ionomer for fuel cell tests - RPI team developed partially fluorinated sulfonated aromatic polymers biphenyl-based polymer backbone and a perfluorinated sulfonic acid side chain (BP-ArF4); - CMS contributed to novel custom amorphous fluoropolymers compositions that comprise 4,5-difluoro-2,2-bis(trifluoromethyl)-1,3-dioxole (PDD)more » 2) Successfully cast thin ionomer films (~ 1 μm) and measured their oxygen permeability - PDD-based ionomers increased oxygen permeability by three times compared to Nafion 1100 EW ionomer. 3) Incorporated selected PDD ionomers with other components to make fuel cell MEAs and acquired fuel cell performance - Improved H2/air performance by 100-200 mV at high current density(2 A/cm2) - Acquired hardware from General Motors to perform experiments to isolate local oxygen transport resistance associated with ionomer thin film. 4) Prepared electrode and MEA samples for morphology and microstructure characterizations. - Uniform Pt and ionomer distribution were observed using PDD ionomer. The significant progress of the Phase I project has provided a strong foundation for the Phase II project. We will further improve ionomer film gas permeability, scale up ionomer production, optimize fuel cell electrodes and maximize fuel cell performance under low Pt loading and high power operations.« less

Authors:
 [1];  [1];  [1];  [1];  [1]
  1. Giner, Inc., Newton, MA (United States)
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Giner, Inc., Newton, MA (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE Office of Science (SC)
Contributing Org.:
Rensselaer Polytechnic Inst.; Compact Membrane Systems, Inc.
OSTI Identifier:
1491499
Report Number(s):
10146_Phase_I_Final_Report
10146
DOE Contract Number:  
SC0018597
Type / Phase:
SBIR (Phase I)
Resource Type:
Technical Report
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE; 25 ENERGY STORAGE; 08 HYDROGEN; proton exchange membrane; fuel cell; ionomer; thin film; cathode; high-power operation

Citation Formats

Xu, Hui, Yang, Fan, Spinetta, Magali, Zhong, Shirley, and Willey, Jason. Novel Fluorinated Ionomer for PEM Fuel Cells SBIR Phase I Final Scientific / Technical Report Period Covering April 9, 2018 to January 8, 2019. United States: N. p., 2019. Web.
Xu, Hui, Yang, Fan, Spinetta, Magali, Zhong, Shirley, & Willey, Jason. Novel Fluorinated Ionomer for PEM Fuel Cells SBIR Phase I Final Scientific / Technical Report Period Covering April 9, 2018 to January 8, 2019. United States.
Xu, Hui, Yang, Fan, Spinetta, Magali, Zhong, Shirley, and Willey, Jason. 2019. "Novel Fluorinated Ionomer for PEM Fuel Cells SBIR Phase I Final Scientific / Technical Report Period Covering April 9, 2018 to January 8, 2019". United States.
@article{osti_1491499,
title = {Novel Fluorinated Ionomer for PEM Fuel Cells SBIR Phase I Final Scientific / Technical Report Period Covering April 9, 2018 to January 8, 2019},
author = {Xu, Hui and Yang, Fan and Spinetta, Magali and Zhong, Shirley and Willey, Jason},
abstractNote = {Giner, Inc. has collaborated with Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) and Compact Membrane Systems, Inc. (CMS) to develop novel highly fluorinated hydrocarbon ionomers for polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cells. Oxygen permeability tests have shown that these ionomers possess much higher O2 permeability than Nafion, which help to improve the local O2 transport in the fuel cell cathode. The benefits of developed ionomers have also been validated in membrane and electrode assemblies (MEAs) of PEM fuel cells; the developed ionomer has improved H2/air fuel cell performance at high current density region, demonstrating tremendous decease of local oxygen transport resistance. The partial oxygen pressure experiments have been designed to isolate local oxygen transport resistance that is pertaining to the ionomer thin film surrounding Pt particles. Electrode structures have been characterized and correlated with fuel cell performance. During this Phase I, Giner and its collaborators have successfully accomplished the following key milestones: 1) Synthesized two categories of fluorinated ionomers and delivered 10 grams of each ionomer for fuel cell tests - RPI team developed partially fluorinated sulfonated aromatic polymers biphenyl-based polymer backbone and a perfluorinated sulfonic acid side chain (BP-ArF4); - CMS contributed to novel custom amorphous fluoropolymers compositions that comprise 4,5-difluoro-2,2-bis(trifluoromethyl)-1,3-dioxole (PDD) 2) Successfully cast thin ionomer films (~ 1 μm) and measured their oxygen permeability - PDD-based ionomers increased oxygen permeability by three times compared to Nafion 1100 EW ionomer. 3) Incorporated selected PDD ionomers with other components to make fuel cell MEAs and acquired fuel cell performance - Improved H2/air performance by 100-200 mV at high current density(2 A/cm2) - Acquired hardware from General Motors to perform experiments to isolate local oxygen transport resistance associated with ionomer thin film. 4) Prepared electrode and MEA samples for morphology and microstructure characterizations. - Uniform Pt and ionomer distribution were observed using PDD ionomer. The significant progress of the Phase I project has provided a strong foundation for the Phase II project. We will further improve ionomer film gas permeability, scale up ionomer production, optimize fuel cell electrodes and maximize fuel cell performance under low Pt loading and high power operations.},
doi = {},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/1491499}, journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Tue Jan 22 00:00:00 EST 2019},
month = {Tue Jan 22 00:00:00 EST 2019}
}

Technical Report:
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