Mechanical endurance of polymer electrolyte membrane and PEM fuel cell durability

The life of proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFC) is currently limited by the mechanical endurance of polymer electrolyte membranes and membrane electrode assemblies (MEAs). In this paper, the authors report recent experimental and modeling work toward understanding the mechanisms of delayed mechanical failures of polymer electrolyte membranes and MEAs under relevant PEMFC operating conditions. Mechanical breach of membranes/MEAs in the form of pinholes and tears has been frequently observed after long‐term or accelerated testing of PEMFC cells/stacks. Catastrophic failure of cell/stack due to rapid gas crossover shortly follows the mechanical breach. Ex situ mechanical characterizations were performed on MEAs after being subjected to the accelerated chemical aging and relative humidity (RH) cycling tests. The results showed significant reduction of MEA ductility manifested as drastically reduced strain‐to‐failure of the chemically aged and RH‐cycled MEAs. Postmortem analysis revealed the formation and growth of mechanical defects such as cracks and crazing in the membranes and MEAs. A finite element model was used to estimate stress/strain states of an edge‐constrained MEA under rapid RH variations. Damage metrics for accelerated testing and life prediction of PEMFCs are discussed. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 44: 2346–2357, 2006     

Further study of the viscoelastic phase separation of cyanate ester modified with poly(ether imide)

In this study, the viscoelastic phase separation process was studied further by time‐resolved light scattering, differential scanning calorimetry, and scanning electron microscopy in the system of poly(ether imide)‐modified bisphenol‐A dicyanate. It was observed that the evolution time of phase structure and relaxation time of diffusion flow of the bisphenol‐A dicyanate were similar with the phase diagram of curing conversion versus content of PEI. The results suggested that the viscoelastic phase separation was affected by the curing conversion of the system at the onset point of phase separation. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 44: 517–523, 2006     

Electrochemical characteristics of gatifloxacin and its interaction with DNA.

The electrochemical behavior of gatifloxacin (GTFX) and its interaction with natural calf thymus DNA (ctDNA) is investigated by differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) on a carbon paraffined electrode. According to the suggested electrochemical equation, a binding constant of 1.7058 x 10(5) (mol L(-1))(-1) and binding sizes s = 3.09 (base pairs) of GTFX with ctDNA are obtained by nonlinear fit analysis of electrochemical data. The results demonstrate that GTFX has the properties of an intercalative binder.     

Stability of copper(II) complexes with cellulose complexite in water-dioxane mixtures

The complexing properties of cellulose complexite with respect to copper(II) ions in water-1,4-dioxane (DO) mixtures are determined. The stoichiometry and stability constants of copper(II) complexes with the hydroxamic groups of the polymer are determined. The equilibrium speciation diagrams for the complexes at pH 2.0–6.0 are plotted; stereochemical configurations are suggested. The effect of the solvation parameters of the complexite on complex formation is analyzed.     

Numerical and experimental investigation of burner device for anode gas reburning

A complex numerical and experimental investigation of burner devices for a reburning of the anode gas of aluminum production was carried out. The chosen mathematical model of the processes of aerodynamics, heat exchange, and gas burning was identified and adapted on the basis of data of real-scale measurements. Basing on computational experiments the optimization of the design of elements of the system for anode gas detoxication and transport was carried out. A new system was proposed and tested for reburning the anode gases of electrolysis production, which consists of an improved burner device and a dust-sedimenting chamber with a possibility of regulating the amount of gas suction.     

Chaotic buffering and its mathematical models

We propose a general idea of obtaining different chains of coupled oscillators with chaotic buffering. As examples, we consider chains of diffusively coupled generalized cubic Schrödinger equations and nonlinear telegraph equations. We also give examples of systems that have an infinite-dimensional chaotic attractor.     

Depolymerization of chitin and chitosan in the course of base deacetylation

Depolymerization of chitin and chitosan in the course of deacetylation in an alkaline medium was studied, and the influence exerted on the process by the nature and concentration of the alkali (NaOH, KOH) and salts (NaCl, NaI, KI) was examined.     

On the term “pH of the precipitation onset of heavy metal hydroxides”

It is suggested to take as pH of the precipitation onset of metal hydroxides the pH at which 10% of the initial amount of metal ions has precipitated. An equation for calculating this quantity is presented.