A Synthesis Strategy of Prussian Blue Incorporated PEMs with High Durability and Performance

The trade-off between performance and durability in proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) has been a persistent challenge, and addressing it is crucial for enhancing the applicability of PEMFCs across multiple scenarios. This study presents a synthesis strategy for incorporating Prussian Blue (PB) into proton exchange membranes (PEMs) to enhance both performance and durability. By homogeneously blending potassium ferricyanide with perfluorosulfonic acid resin and inducing in situ PB nanoparticle synthesis within the polymer matrix, the resulting composite membranes exhibit exceptional electrochemical performance and durability. Characterization via XRD and spectrometry confirms the successful integration and uniform distribution of PB in the polymer matrix. The composite membranes demonstrate enhanced water retention capacity, reduced swelling ratio, and superior ionic conductivity across a range of temperature and humidity conditions compared to those of pristine PEMs. The water uptake approximately linearly increases with the additive content, rising from 2.8% to 13.8%, thus increasing the conductivity of the composite membranes. Furthermore, they show remarkable resistance to chemical degradation in Fenton and OCV tests. The voltage loss rate decreases from 13.33% to 6.93% as the additive content increases, representing a 50% reduction in the voltage loss magnitude. This work offers an approach to developing high-performance, long-lasting, and cost-effective PEMs for commercial applications.