Fuel Cell Application of High Temperature Polymer Electrolyte Membranes Obtained by Graft Copolymerization of Acrylic Acid and 2-Hydroxyethylmethacrylate on ETFE Backbone Material.

Li, Xin; Drache, Marco; Ke, Xi; Gohs, Uwe; Beuermann, Sabine

Proton exchange membranes for high temperature fuel cell applications were obtained via graft copolymerizations on commercial poly(ethylene-alt-tetrafluoroethylene) (ETFE) films. ETFE was activated by electron beam treatment, and the hydrophilic monomers acrylic acid and hydroxyethyl methacrylate were grafted to ETFE. The maximum grafting level was 620%. The grafted membranes were doped with the proton carrier phosphoric acid leading to a maximum doping level of 450%. Stress-strain measurements indicate good mechanical stability of the composite membranes. The polymer-acid membranes were tested in a H2/O2 fuel cell. At a current density of 200 mA · cm−2 a stable power density of 113 mW · cm−2 was determined at 120 °C. The results show that high phosphoric acid contents associated with high proton conductivity may be obtained with a copolymer containing acrylic acid.

PROTON exchange membrane fuel cells; GRAFT copolymers; COPOLYMERIZATION; ACRYLIC acid; HIGH temperatures; ELECTRON beams

Macromolecular Materials & Engineering, 2016, Vol 301, Issue 1, p56

1438-7492

Academic Journal

10.1002/mame.201500207