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Title: Hydroxide Degradation Pathways for Substituted Benzyltrimethyl Ammonium: A DFT Study

Abstract

The stability of cations used in the alkaline exchange membranes has been a major challenge. In this paper, degradation energy barriers were investigated by density functional theory for substituted benzyltrimethyl ammonium (BTMA+) cations. Findings show that electron-donating substituent groups at meta-position(s) of the benzyl ring could result in increased degradation barriers. However, after investigating more than thirty substituted BTMA+ cations, the largest improvement in degradation barrier found was only 6.7 kJ/mol. This suggests a modest (8×) improvement in stability for this type of approach may be possible, but for anything greater other approaches will need to be pursued.

Authors:
 [1];  [1]
  1. National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE Office of Science (SC)
OSTI Identifier:
1166667
Report Number(s):
NREL/JA-2C00-62672
Journal ID: ISSN 2162-8726; MainId:23317;UUID:e1ac7055-612a-e411-b769-d89d67132a6d;MainAdminID:11793
Grant/Contract Number:  
AC36-08-GO28308
Resource Type:
Accepted Manuscript
Journal Name:
ECS Electrochemistry Letters
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 4; Journal Issue: 1; Journal ID: ISSN 2162-8726
Publisher:
Electrochemical Society
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
30 DIRECT ENERGY CONVERSION; 77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY; 37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY; density functional theory (DFT)

Citation Formats

Long, Hai, and Pivovar, Bryan S. Hydroxide Degradation Pathways for Substituted Benzyltrimethyl Ammonium: A DFT Study. United States: N. p., 2014. Web. doi:10.1149/2.0041501eel.
Long, Hai, & Pivovar, Bryan S. Hydroxide Degradation Pathways for Substituted Benzyltrimethyl Ammonium: A DFT Study. United States. https://doi.org/10.1149/2.0041501eel
Long, Hai, and Pivovar, Bryan S. Sat . "Hydroxide Degradation Pathways for Substituted Benzyltrimethyl Ammonium: A DFT Study". United States. https://doi.org/10.1149/2.0041501eel. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1166667.
@article{osti_1166667,
title = {Hydroxide Degradation Pathways for Substituted Benzyltrimethyl Ammonium: A DFT Study},
author = {Long, Hai and Pivovar, Bryan S.},
abstractNote = {The stability of cations used in the alkaline exchange membranes has been a major challenge. In this paper, degradation energy barriers were investigated by density functional theory for substituted benzyltrimethyl ammonium (BTMA+) cations. Findings show that electron-donating substituent groups at meta-position(s) of the benzyl ring could result in increased degradation barriers. However, after investigating more than thirty substituted BTMA+ cations, the largest improvement in degradation barrier found was only 6.7 kJ/mol. This suggests a modest (8×) improvement in stability for this type of approach may be possible, but for anything greater other approaches will need to be pursued.},
doi = {10.1149/2.0041501eel},
journal = {ECS Electrochemistry Letters},
number = 1,
volume = 4,
place = {United States},
year = {Sat Nov 01 00:00:00 EDT 2014},
month = {Sat Nov 01 00:00:00 EDT 2014}
}

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Works referencing / citing this record:

Density functional theory study on the degradation of fuel cell anion exchange membranes via removal of vinylbenzyl quaternary ammonium head group
journal, May 2020

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