Composite Polymers Development and Application for Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Technologies-A Review

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Electrochemistry
• Chemical Engineering

Background:

• Nafion membranes dominate polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) technologies due to high proton conductivity and stability.
• However, Nafion membranes suffer from reactant permeability, water dependency, and degradation, limiting performance.
• These drawbacks hinder applications in direct methanol fuel cells (DMFCs), PEM fuel cells (PEMFCs), and PEM water electrolysers (PEMWEs).

Purpose of the Study:

• To review novel composite membranes designed to overcome Nafion's limitations in PEM applications.
• To provide an overview of composite membranes, including Nafion-based and non-fluorinated options.
• To compare key properties of these membranes with commercial Nafion.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of composite membranes for PEM applications.
• Analysis of reported properties such as proton conductivity, crossover, power density, and thermal stability.
• Comparison of performance metrics between composite membranes and Nafion.

Main Results:

• Composite membranes, incorporating organic and inorganic fillers, show promise in enhancing PEM performance.
• Studies indicate that these membranes can potentially rival Nafion in terms of performance and operational lifetime.
• Various composite membrane formulations demonstrate suitability for diverse PEM applications.

Conclusions:

• Composite membranes represent a viable alternative to conventional Nafion membranes for PEM technologies.
• Further development of composite membranes could lead to significant advancements in fuel cell and electrolyser efficiency and durability.
• These novel materials show potential for competing with and surpassing Nafion in demanding electrochemical applications.