TY - JOUR
T1 - Cross-linked polybenzimidazole with enhanced stability for high temperature proton exchange membrane fuel cells
AU - Han, Miaomiao
AU - Zhang, Gang
AU - Liu, Zhongguo
AU - Wang, Shuang
AU - Li, Mingyu
AU - Zhu, Jing
AU - Li, Hongtao
AU - Zhang, Yang
AU - Lew, Christopher M.
AU - Na, Hui
PY - 2011/2/21
Y1 - 2011/2/21
N2 - Cross-linked polybenzimidazole membranes were obtained by heating at 160 °C, using 4,4′-diglycidyl(3,3′,5,5′-tetramethylbiphenyl) epoxy resin (TMBP) as the cross-linker. The cross-linking reaction temperature was determined by DSC and the successful completion of the cross-linking reaction was shown by FTIR and solubility tests. The cross-linked membranes showed high proton conductivity and strong mechanical properties, as well as low swelling after immersion in 85% phosphoric acid at 90 °C. For instance, the membrane with a cross-linker content weight percent of 20% (PBI-TMBP 20%) with a PA doping level of 4.1 exhibited a proton conductivity of 0.010 S cm -1 and a low swelling volume of 50%. Moreover, the cross-linked membranes showed excellent oxidative stability. The PBI-TMBP 20% cross-linked membrane tested in Fenton's reagent (3% H2O2 solution, 4 ppm Fe2+, 70 °C) kept its shape for more than 480 h and did not break. In particular, the proton conductivity of the PA-PBI-TMBP 20% membrane after Fenton's test (30% H2O2, 20 ppm Fe2+, 85 °C) remained at a high level of 0.009 S cm-1. This investigation proved that cross-linking is a very effective approach for improving the performance of proton exchange membranes.
AB - Cross-linked polybenzimidazole membranes were obtained by heating at 160 °C, using 4,4′-diglycidyl(3,3′,5,5′-tetramethylbiphenyl) epoxy resin (TMBP) as the cross-linker. The cross-linking reaction temperature was determined by DSC and the successful completion of the cross-linking reaction was shown by FTIR and solubility tests. The cross-linked membranes showed high proton conductivity and strong mechanical properties, as well as low swelling after immersion in 85% phosphoric acid at 90 °C. For instance, the membrane with a cross-linker content weight percent of 20% (PBI-TMBP 20%) with a PA doping level of 4.1 exhibited a proton conductivity of 0.010 S cm -1 and a low swelling volume of 50%. Moreover, the cross-linked membranes showed excellent oxidative stability. The PBI-TMBP 20% cross-linked membrane tested in Fenton's reagent (3% H2O2 solution, 4 ppm Fe2+, 70 °C) kept its shape for more than 480 h and did not break. In particular, the proton conductivity of the PA-PBI-TMBP 20% membrane after Fenton's test (30% H2O2, 20 ppm Fe2+, 85 °C) remained at a high level of 0.009 S cm-1. This investigation proved that cross-linking is a very effective approach for improving the performance of proton exchange membranes.
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U2 - 10.1039/c0jm02443k
DO - 10.1039/c0jm02443k
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:79551615372
SN - 0959-9428
VL - 21
SP - 2187
EP - 2193
JO - Journal of Materials Chemistry
JF - Journal of Materials Chemistry
IS - 7
ER -