Ionomer thin films for fuel cells and related applications

用于燃料电池及相关应用的离聚物薄膜

基本信息

批准号：
RGPIN-2017-04856
负责人：
Karan, Kunal
金额：
$ 2.7万
依托单位：
University of Calgary
依托单位国家：
加拿大
项目类别：
Discovery Grants Program - Individual
财政年份：
2017
资助国家：
加拿大
起止时间：
2017-01-01 至 2018-12-31
项目状态：
已结题

来源：
https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=638246
关键词：
Ionomer thin films fuel cells

项目摘要

Polymer thin films with dimensions less than one-thousands the size of human hair behave differently than their bulk material counterpart. Conducting polymers are sub-class of this material group and depending on the molecular architecture, they can be either electron-conducting or ion-conducting. Thin films of ion-conducting polymers or ionomers find a variety of applications, e.g. in fuel cells, artificial photosynthesis, sensors, actuators, and as functional coatings. The ionomer thin films in the catalyst layers of polymer electrolyte fuel cells (PEFCs) have been identified as a source of significant performance/voltage loss due to unexpectedly high mass transport resistance. Overcoming this problem is now considered critical to making the PEFCs affordable, if we are to harness its potential as zero-emissions power source for urban vehicles. The answer to the problem is designing next generation ionomer materials that possess facile mass transport characteristics. However, the lack of relationship between ionomer molecular structure and its properties is hampering the design and development of such materials. In the proposed research will use a science-based approach for unraveling the origin of the mass transport resistance some advanced experimental techniques - one of which has only recently become available in whole of North America - the Positron Beam Facility at McMaster University, Canada.

尺寸的聚合物薄膜小于人类头发的大小的尺寸与散装材料的表现不同。导电聚合物是该材料组的子类，取决于分子结构，它们可以是电子传导或离子传导。离子传导聚合物或离子体的薄膜发现了多种应用，例如在燃料电池中，人工光合作用，传感器，执行器和功能涂层。由于出乎意料的高质量传输性，聚合物电解质燃料电池（PEFC）催化剂层中的离子薄膜已被确定为严重性能/电压损失的来源。现在，如果我们要利用其作为城市车辆的零排放电源来利用其潜力，那么克服这个问题对于使PEFC负担得起而被认为是至关重要的。该问题的答案是设计具有易于质量传输特征的下一代电离材料。但是，离子分子结构及其特性之间缺乏关系正在阻碍此类材料的设计和开发。在拟议的研究中，将采用基于科学的方法来揭示大规模运输抵抗的起源某些先进的实验技术 - 其中一种直到最近才在整个北美（整个北美）使用 - 加拿大麦克马斯特大学的Positron Beam设施。