Journal article
Porous poly(perfluorosulfonic acid) membranes for alkaline water electrolysis
Department of Energy Conversion and Storage, Technical University of Denmark1
Proton conductors, Department of Energy Conversion and Storage, Technical University of Denmark2
Siemens A/S3
Imaging and Structural Analysis, Department of Energy Conversion and Storage, Technical University of Denmark4
Department of Chemistry, Technical University of Denmark5
NanoChemistry, Department of Chemistry, Technical University of Denmark6
Organic Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, Technical University of Denmark7
Poly(perfluorosulfonic acid) (PFSA) is one of a few polymer types that combine excellent alkali resistance with extreme hydrophilicity. It is therefore of interest as a base material in separators for alkaline water electrolyzers. In the pristine form it, however, shows high cation selectivity. To increase its ion conductivity in aqueous KOH, a method for the preparation of porous PFSA membranes was developed.
It was based on an approach where PFSA was co-cast with poly(vinylpyrrolidone) (PVP) at different ratios to give transparent and colorless blend membranes. The PVP was subsequently dissolved and washed out and the obtained porous materials allowed for swelling to reach water contents up to λ=85 [H2O] [−SO3K]−1.
After equilibration in 22 wt% aqueous KOH, ion conductivity of 0.2 S cm−1 was recorded for this membrane type at room temperature, which is significantly higher than 0.01 S cm−1 for the unmodified membrane. The technological feasibility was demonstrated by testing the membranes in an alkaline water electrolysis cell with encouraging performance.
| Language: | English |
|---|---|
| Year: | 2015 |
| Pages: | 589-598 |
| ISSN: | 18733123 and 03767388 |
| Types: | Journal article |
| DOI: | 10.1016/j.memsci.2015.06.057 |
| ORCIDs: | Aili, David , Andreasen, Jens Wenzel , Zhang, Jingdong , Jensen, Jens Oluf , Bjerrum, Niels J. and Li, Qingfeng |
