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Gel-State Polyelectrolyte With Quaternized Hierarchical Channels Enables Subzero-Operable and High-Power PEMFCs From
Danyi Zhu1, Taizhong Zhu1, Yan Chen1
1College of Chemical Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Advanced Separation Membrane Materials, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, People's Republic of China.
Small (Weinheim an Der Bergstrasse, Germany)
|August 6, 2026
Summary
A novel quaternized polyelectrolyte membrane (QA-PBI-X-Gel) enhances high-temperature proton exchange fuel cells (HT-PEMFCs) by enabling operation from -20°C to 240°C. This design overcomes acid leaching and improves low-temperature conductivity for automotive applications.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Electrochemistry
- Chemical Engineering
Background:
- Phosphoric acid (PA)-doped membranes are crucial for high-temperature proton exchange fuel cells (HT-PEMFCs).
- Limited low-temperature performance and acid leaching are key challenges hindering widespread adoption of current HT-PEMFC membranes.
- Existing membranes struggle to maintain efficiency across a broad operational temperature range, particularly under subzero conditions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a novel gel-state polyelectrolyte membrane overcoming the limitations of traditional PA-doped membranes for HT-PEMFCs.
- To enable efficient and stable fuel cell operation across a wide temperature spectrum, including subzero conditions.
- To enhance both low-temperature conductivity and high-temperature performance while preventing acid leaching.
Main Methods:
- Fabrication of a quaternized polyelectrolyte membrane (QA-PBI-X-Gel) with a unique multiscale 3D porous architecture.
- Incorporation of dual binding motifs (imidazole rings and quaternary ammonium groups) to stabilize PA and promote proton generation.
- Testing of membrane performance across a wide temperature range (-20°C to 240°C), including conductivity measurements, power density evaluation, and durability tests.
Main Results:
- The QA-PBI-X-Gel membrane demonstrates stable operation from -20°C to 240°C, acting as both an acid reservoir and proton generator.
- Achieved a fivefold enhancement in low-temperature conductivity and a high conductivity of 0.411 S/cm at 240°C.
- Exhibited peak power densities exceeding 2 W/cm² at low temperatures and robust durability with voltage degradation rates below 50 µV/h at 40°C and 180°C.
Conclusions:
- The developed QA-PBI-X-Gel membrane effectively addresses the critical challenges of acid leaching and limited low-temperature performance in HT-PEMFCs.
- This unified design significantly expands the operational scope of proton exchange membranes, bridging the gap between low- and high-temperature fuel cell technologies.
- The findings pave the way for reliable subzero operation of HT-PEMFCs, crucial for automotive applications.
