Poly(ether sulfone)-sulfonated poly(ether ether ketone) blend ultrafiltrationanofiltration-based proton-conductive membranes with improved performance for H2/C12 fuel cell application

摘要

A new blend ultrafiltration (UF)anofiltration (NF)-based proton-conductive membrane, which comprised poly(ether sulfone) (PES), sulfonated poly(ether ether ketone) (SPEEK) and absorbed aqueous acid, as an alternative to traditional exchange membrane, was proposed and designed for H2/C12 fuel cells. The effect of SPEEK concentration at different degree of sulfonation on membrane properties was systematically studied. The room-temperature conductivity of the prepared membrane doped with 3 M hydrochloric acid reached up to 106-131 mS cm~(-1). The electrochemical characteristics of membrane/electrode assemblies using the PES-SPEEK composite membrane were also analyzed. The cell exhibited better performance than that of a cell based on Nation 212 membrane (about twice). The study provides an effective way to fabricate high performance porous membranes for H2/Cl2 fuel cell applications.