Approaches and Recent Development of Polymer Electrolyte Membranes for Fuel Cells Operating above 100 °C

The state-of-the-art of polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) technology is based on perfluorosulfonic acid (PFSA) polymer membranes operating at a typical temperature of 80 °C. Some of the key issues and shortcomings of the PFSA-based PEMFC technology are briefly discussed. These include water management, CO poisoning, hydrogen, reformate and methanol as fuels, cooling, and heat recovery.

As a means to solve these shortcomings, high-temperature polymer electrolyte membranes for operation above 100 °C are under active development. This treatise is devoted to a review of the area encompassing modified PFSA membranes, alternative sulfonated polymer and their composite membranes, and acid−base complex membranes.

PFSA membranes have been modified by swelling with nonvolatile solvents and preparing composites with hydrophilic oxides and solid proton conductors. DMFC and H2/O2(air) cells based on modified PFSA membranes have been successfully operated at temperatures up to 120 °C under ambient pressure and up to 150 °C under 3−5 atm.

Alternative polymers are selected from silicon- and fluorine-containing inorganic polymers or aromatic hydrocarbon polymers and functionalized by sulfonation. The sulfonated hydrocarbons and their inorganic composites are potentially promising for high-temperature operation. High conductivities have been obtained at temperatures up to 180 °C.

Acid−base complex membranes constitute another class of electrolyte membranes. A high-temperature PEMFC based on H3PO4-doped PBI has been demonstrated for operation at temperatures up to 200 °C under ambient pressure. The advanced features include high CO tolerance, simple thermal and water management, and possible integration with the fuel processing unit.