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Title: Electrospun Nafion/PVDF single-fiber blended membranes for regenerative H2/Br2 fuel cells

Abstract

Nafion® perfluorosulfonic acid (PFSA) and poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) were electrospun simultaneously as a polymer solution mixture using a single needle spinneret. The nanofiber morphology was highly unusual, with bundled 2–5 nm fibril strands of Nafion and PVDF aligned along the fiber axis. Membranes were made from fiber mats by a simple hot-pressing step, followed by thermal annealing, where the fibril morphology of Nafion and PVDF in the original nanofibers was retained in the membrane. The PVDF component in the final membrane served three roles, as an electrospinning carrier polymer for PFSA, a mechanical reinforcement, and a hydrophobic (uncharged) component to limit PFSA ionomer swelling. A series of single-fiber membranes with Nafion/PVDF contents ranging from 40/60 to 90/10 wt%/wt% were prepared, characterized, and evaluated for use in a regenerative hydrogen/bromine fuel cell. As anticipated, there was a decrease in proton conductivity, water/electrolyte swelling, and Br2/Br3- permeability with increasing PVDF content. Membrane conductivity was lower than expected based on the weight fraction of PVDF, due presumably to an unusually large fraction of highly structured water. Nevertheless, a single-fiber Nafion/PVDF membrane with a thickness of 18 µm and an 80/20 wt%/wt% Nafion/PVDF composition performed well in a H2/Br2 regenerative fuel cell due tomore » a combination of low area-specific resistance and low Br2/Br3- crossover. Thus, with an electrolyte containing 0.9 M Br2 in 1.0 M HBr, the maximum power output was 46% higher than that with a Nafion 212 membrane (1.31 vs. 0.90 W/cm2).« less

Authors:
 [1];  [1];  [2];  [2];  [1];  [3];  [3];  [1]
+ Show Author Affiliations
  1. Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN (United States)
  2. TVN Systems, Inc., Lawrence, KS (United States)
  3. University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS (United States)
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
TVN Systems, Inc., Lawrence, KS (United States); Vanderbilt Univ., Nashville, TN (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE Advanced Research Projects Agency - Energy (ARPA-E); National Science Foundation (NSF)
OSTI Identifier:
1538584
Alternate Identifier(s):
OSTI ID: 1550381
Grant/Contract Number:  
AR0000262; AC02-05CH11231; EFRI-1038234
Resource Type:
Accepted Manuscript
Journal Name:
Journal of Membrane Science
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 541; Journal Issue: C; Journal ID: ISSN 0376-7388
Publisher:
Elsevier
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
42 ENGINEERING; proton exchange membrane; electrospinning; regenerative hydrogen bromine fuel cell; redox flow battery; nanofiber; nafion/PVDF blends

Citation Formats

Woo Park, Jun, Wycisk, Ryszard, Lin, Guangyu, Ying Chong, Pau, Powers, Devon, Van Nguyen, Trung, Dowd Jr., Regis P., and Pintauro, Peter N. Electrospun Nafion/PVDF single-fiber blended membranes for regenerative H2/Br2 fuel cells. United States: N. p., 2017. Web. doi:10.1016/j.memsci.2017.06.086.
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Woo Park, Jun, Wycisk, Ryszard, Lin, Guangyu, Ying Chong, Pau, Powers, Devon, Van Nguyen, Trung, Dowd Jr., Regis P., & Pintauro, Peter N. Electrospun Nafion/PVDF single-fiber blended membranes for regenerative H2/Br2 fuel cells. United States. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.memsci.2017.06.086
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Woo Park, Jun, Wycisk, Ryszard, Lin, Guangyu, Ying Chong, Pau, Powers, Devon, Van Nguyen, Trung, Dowd Jr., Regis P., and Pintauro, Peter N. Thu . "Electrospun Nafion/PVDF single-fiber blended membranes for regenerative H2/Br2 fuel cells". United States. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.memsci.2017.06.086. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1538584.
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@article{osti_1538584,
title = {Electrospun Nafion/PVDF single-fiber blended membranes for regenerative H2/Br2 fuel cells},
author = {Woo Park, Jun and Wycisk, Ryszard and Lin, Guangyu and Ying Chong, Pau and Powers, Devon and Van Nguyen, Trung and Dowd Jr., Regis P. and Pintauro, Peter N.},
abstractNote = {Nafion® perfluorosulfonic acid (PFSA) and poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) were electrospun simultaneously as a polymer solution mixture using a single needle spinneret. The nanofiber morphology was highly unusual, with bundled 2–5 nm fibril strands of Nafion and PVDF aligned along the fiber axis. Membranes were made from fiber mats by a simple hot-pressing step, followed by thermal annealing, where the fibril morphology of Nafion and PVDF in the original nanofibers was retained in the membrane. The PVDF component in the final membrane served three roles, as an electrospinning carrier polymer for PFSA, a mechanical reinforcement, and a hydrophobic (uncharged) component to limit PFSA ionomer swelling. A series of single-fiber membranes with Nafion/PVDF contents ranging from 40/60 to 90/10 wt%/wt% were prepared, characterized, and evaluated for use in a regenerative hydrogen/bromine fuel cell. As anticipated, there was a decrease in proton conductivity, water/electrolyte swelling, and Br2/Br3- permeability with increasing PVDF content. Membrane conductivity was lower than expected based on the weight fraction of PVDF, due presumably to an unusually large fraction of highly structured water. Nevertheless, a single-fiber Nafion/PVDF membrane with a thickness of 18 µm and an 80/20 wt%/wt% Nafion/PVDF composition performed well in a H2/Br2 regenerative fuel cell due to a combination of low area-specific resistance and low Br2/Br3- crossover. Thus, with an electrolyte containing 0.9 M Br2 in 1.0 M HBr, the maximum power output was 46% higher than that with a Nafion 212 membrane (1.31 vs. 0.90 W/cm2).},
doi = {10.1016/j.memsci.2017.06.086},
journal = {Journal of Membrane Science},
number = C,
volume = 541,
place = {United States},
year = {Thu Jun 29 00:00:00 EDT 2017},
month = {Thu Jun 29 00:00:00 EDT 2017}
}
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https://doi.org/10.1016/j.memsci.2017.06.086
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