Polymer electrolyte membranes for the direct methanol fuel cell: A review

The direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) has the potential to replace lithium‐ion rechargeable batteries in portable electronic devices, but currently experiences significant power density and efficiency losses due to high methanol crossover through polymer electrolyte membranes (PEMs). Numerous publications document the synthesis and characterization of new PEMs for the DMFC. This article reviews this research, transport phenomena in PEMs, and experimental techniques used to evaluate new PEMs for the DMFC. Although many PEMs do not show significant improvements over Nafion®, the benchmark PEM in DMFCs, experimental results show that several new PEMs exhibit lower methanol crossover at similar proton conductivities and/or higher DMFC power densities. These results and recommendations for future research are discussed. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Parts B: Polym Phys 44: 2201–2225, 2006     

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     

Sulfonated poly(aryl ether ether ketone ketone)s containing fluorinated moieties as proton exchange membrane materials

A series of sulfonated poly(aryl ether ether ketone ketone)s statistical copolymers with high molecular weights were synthesized via an aromatic nucleophilic substitution polymerization. The sulfonation content (SC), defined as the number of sulfonic acid groups contained in an average repeat unit, could be controlled by the feed ratios of monomers. Flexible and strong membranes in sodium sulfonate form could be prepared by the solution casting method, and readily transformed to their proton forms by treating them in 2 N sulfuric acid. The polymers showed high T_gs, which increased with an increase in SC. Membranes prepared from the present sulfonated poly(ether ether ketone ketone) copolymers containing the hexafluoroisopropylidene moiety (SPEEKK‐6F) and copolymers containing the pendant 3,5‐ditrifluoromethylphenyl moiety (SPEEKK‐6FP) had lower water uptakes and lower swelling ratios in comparison with previously prepared copolymers containing 6F units. All of the polymers possessed proton conductivities higher than 1 × 10^?2 S/cm at room temperature, and proton conductivity values of several polymers were comparable to that of Nafion at high relative humidity. Their thermal stability, oxidative stability, and mechanical properties were also evaluated. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 44: 2299–2310, 2006     

13.5—14.6MeV中子能区锗的同位素反应截面的测量

报道了在13.5—14.6MeV中子能区用活化法测得的⁷⁶Ge(n,2n)⁷⁵Ge, ⁷⁰Ge(n,2n)⁶⁹Ge, ⁷⁰Ge(n, p)⁷⁰Ga, ⁷²Ge(n,p)⁷²Ga, ⁷³Ge(n,p)⁷³Ga, ⁷²Ge(n,α)^69mZn和⁷⁴Ge(n, α)^71mZn的反应截面值. 中子注量用⁹³Nb(n,2n)^92mNb反应截面得到. 单能中子由T(d,n)⁴He反应获得. 同时还列举了已收集到的文献值以作比较.     

金属铝燃料电池的研究

铝是一种丰富廉价的有色金属，金属铝电池作为一种新型燃料电池，具有低成本、无毒害、高功率、高能量密度等优点。本文简述了金属铝电池的工作原理，并对铝阳极、空气阴极、催化剂、电解液和铝燃料电池的应用等方面的研究概况进行了叙述。     

Ni-SDC固体氧化物燃料电池阳极的合成和性质

采用柠檬酸-硝酸盐溶胶-凝胶低温自蔓延燃烧法制备氧化镍（NiO）粉末和Ce0.8Sm0.2O1.9（SDC）粉末，并将NiO与SDC按不同质量比和不同制备工艺制备了固体氧化物燃料电池（SOFC）的阳极前身。再用自组装的还原装置将其在820℃经2．5h还原后，采用四端子法测量其电导率值。分析了阳极片电导率与阳极片微结构、Ni的质量百分数、混合研磨时间及烧结温度之间的关系。结果显示，阳极片的电导率强烈依赖于镍含量和制备工艺。     

壳聚糖固体聚合物电池用膜

壳聚糖是甲壳素脱乙酰基的产物，具有良好的成膜性、生物相容性、环保以及价格低廉等特点。作为一种碱性高分子膜材料，近年来已成为聚电解质研究领域中的研究热点。本文综述了壳聚糖固体聚合物电池用膜的研究现状，其改性工艺主要包括共混、化学改性、质子酸掺杂、无机盐掺杂等方法，比较了各种工艺处理后壳聚糖固体聚合物电解质膜的性能差异，并就壳聚糖固体聚合物电解质膜中离子传导机理中有待解决的问题进行探讨，并提出了进一步改进壳聚糖固体聚合物电解质膜性能的研究思路。     

Thermal Oxidative Stability of Heat-Stabilised Polyamide 66 by Differential Scanning Calorimetry

The thermal stability of heat-stabilised polyamide 66 in an oxidative environment is evaluated by DSC. The oxidative stability of the polyamide decreases as a result of repeated injection moulding. The results also indicate that the presence of glass fibres in the polyamide has a negative influence on the oxidative stability. Both isothermal and dynamic DSC measurements seem to be useful tools for assessing the stability of polyamides and there is a relationship between data determined using both procedures. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Effect of Ba and Bi doping on the synthesis and sintering of Ge-based apatite phases

Recently, high oxide ion conduction has been observed in the apatite-type systems La_9.33+x(Si/Ge)₆O_26+x/2, with conductivities approaching and even exceeding that of yttria-stabilized zirconia. The Ge-based phases have been reported to suffer from Ge loss and undergo irreversible structural changes on sintering at the high temperatures required to obtain dense pellets. In this paper we discuss doping studies (Ba, Bi for La) aimed at stabilizing the hexagonal apatite lattice to high temperature, and/or lowering the synthesis and sintering temperatures. The results show that doping with Ba helps to stabilize the hexagonal lattice at high temperatures, although Ge loss appears to still be a problem. Conductivity data show that, as previously reported for the Si-based systems, non-stoichiometry in the form of cation vacancies and/or oxygen excess is required to achieve high oxide ion conduction in these Ge-based systems. Neutron diffraction structural data for the fully stoichiometric phase La₈Ba₂Ge₆O₂₆ shows that the channel oxygen atoms show little anisotropy in their thermal displacement parameters, consistent with the low oxide ion conductivity of this phase. Bi doping is shown to lower the synthesis and sintering temperatures, although the presence of Bi means that these samples are not stable at high temperatures under reducing conditions.Presented at the OSSEP Workshop Ionic and Mixed Conductors: Methods and Processes, Aveiro, Portugal, April 10–12, 2003