Durable Multiblock Poly(biphenyl alkylene) Anion Exchange Membranes with Microphase Separation for Hydrogen Energy...

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Electrochemistry
• Chemical Engineering

Background:

• Anion exchange membrane fuel cells (AEMFCs) and water electrolysis (AEMWE) are crucial for hydrogen energy conversion.
• Scalable, high-performance anion exchange membranes (AEMs) are essential for commercializing these technologies but remain a challenge.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop novel ether-free multiblock anion exchange membranes (AEMs) based on poly(biphenyl ammonium-b-biphenyl phenyl)s (PBPA-b-BPPs).
• To evaluate the performance and durability of these AEMs in AEMFC and AEMWE systems.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of novel multiblock AEMs (PBPA-b-BPPs) with ether-free structures.
• Characterization of AEM properties including OH- conductivity, swelling, alkaline stability, and mechanical durability.
• Fabrication and testing of AEMFC and AEMWE devices using the developed AEMs.

Main Results:

• The developed AEMs exhibited high OH- conductivity (162.2 mS/cm at 80°C), low swelling, and excellent alkaline stability and mechanical durability.
• An AEMFC device achieved a peak power density of 2.41 W/cm² and demonstrated 330 hours of in situ durability.
• An AEMWE device showed high performance (6.25 A/cm² at 2V, 80°C) and over 3250 hours of in situ durability with minimal voltage decay.

Conclusions:

• The novel PBPA-b-BPP AEMs possess well-formed microphase separation structures, leading to outstanding performance.
• These AEMs demonstrate significant potential for high-performance anion exchange membrane fuel cells and water electrolysis applications.
• The developed AEMs represent a promising advancement for the commercialization of hydrogen energy conversion technologies.