Mitigating Phosphoric Acid Migration in High Temperature Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel cells with Hydrophobic organosilsesquioxane-based Binders
발표자
()
초록
내용
Abstract
Cross-linkable organosilsesquioxanes were successfully synthesized for application as catalyst binder in high temperature polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (HT-PEMFCs). Four different organic functional groups including methyl, phenyl, fluoroalkyl, and fluorophenyl were examined and their chemical, physical, surface, and electrochemical properties were characterized. The effect of surface hydrophobicity on HT-PEMFC membrane electrode assembly was elucidated, showing that organosilsesquioxanes with lower surface tension or higher hydrophobicity towards water and phosphoric acid could be correlated as a key parameter in HT-PEMFC performance. Fuel cell tests showed that the pentafluorophenyl-functionalized organosilsesquioxane showed enhanced H2/air performance (peak power density 527 mW cm-2 at 0.4V) compared to the MEA with PTFE (peak power density 425 mW cm-2 at 0.4V).