Nanogel Polymer Electrolytes

摘要

Fuel cells based on proton exchange membranes have the potential to provide the core of all Air Force power production, from aircraft ground support equipment to unmanned aerial vehicle and remote power generation. The objective of our program is to develop nanohybrid proton membranes and new proton conductors, which combine high proton conductivity (especially at high temperature/low relative humidity), low gas permeability and methanol crossover, decreased swelling and mechanical robustness for fuel cell applications. High temperature/low relative humidity operation, although desirable, is currently not possible as high temperature gives rise to water evaporation and decreased conductivity. One of the big challenges facing the scientific community is to engineer a membrane material that fulfills all materials requirements, is inexpensive and endures the aggressive fuel-cell environment for a long period of time. Our initial results suggest that nanostructuring can indeed be exploited to circumvent the trade-offs typically found in conventional (composite) membranes.