NER: Synthesis and Modeling of Novel Hybrid Organic-Inorganic Nanoporous Membranes for Fuel Cell Applications

NER：用于燃料电池应用的新型有机-无机杂化纳米多孔膜的合成和建模

• 批准号: 0708368
• 负责人: Ilya Zharov
• 金额: $ 12.96万
• 依托单位: University of Utah
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2007
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2007-07-01 至 2009-06-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0708368&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: NER; Synthesis; Modeling; Novel; Hybrid

CBET - 0708368Ilya ZharovUniversity of UtahNER: Synthesis and Modeling of Novel Hybrid Organic-InorganicNanoporous Membranes for Fuel Cell ApplicationMuch research interest globally is centered on the development of fuel cell power sources for a variety of applications with special emphasis on transportation. The proton-conducting membrane that separates fuels while conducting protons from the anode to the cathode is a key component of fuel cells. For efficient operation, the membrane needs to have high proton conductivity, low electronic conductivity, good mechanical properties, and thermal and electrochemical stability. Finding such materials has proven to be problematic. This project seeks to overcome the limitations of current fuel-cell membranes by a combination of experimental and modeling studies to provide proof-of-concept for a new class of membrane materials: hybrid organic/inorganic nanoporous opal membranes, in which synthetic opals produced by self-assembly in solution from silica nanospheres form an inorganic matrix containing ordered arrays of nanopores. Proton conduction is achieved through nanopore surface modification with organic molecules carrying acidic functional groups. Advantages of proposed novel membranes include: (1) self-assembly from solution; (2) highly ordered arrays of nanopores with controlled sizes; and (3) potential to allow a large variety of surface chemistries. The inorganic matrix of the membranes provides mechanical stability, and high proton conduction is provided by the surface-bound organic molecules. In addition to experiments to synthesize and test the characteristics of such membranes, multiscale modeling study of molecular structure and morphology inside the nanopores will be conducted. A graduate student and several undergraduates will be involved in the research, and public outreach activities are planned.

CBET-0708368犹他州大学伊利亚·扎罗夫：用于燃料电池的新型有机-无机杂化纳米孔膜的合成和建模全球的许多研究兴趣集中在为各种应用开发燃料电池电源，特别是运输方面。质子传导膜分离燃料，同时将质子从阳极传导到阴极，是燃料电池的关键部件。为了高效运行，膜需要具有高质子导电性、低电子导电性、良好的机械性能以及热稳定性和电化学稳定性。事实证明，找到这样的材料是有问题的。该项目试图通过实验和模拟研究相结合的方式克服目前燃料电池膜的局限性，为一类新的膜材料提供概念验证：有机/无机纳米多孔蛋白石膜，其中由二氧化硅纳米球在溶液中自组装产生的合成蛋白石形成包含有序纳米孔阵列的无机基质。质子传导是通过用带有酸性官能团的有机分子修饰纳米孔表面来实现的。所提出的新型膜的优点包括：(1)从溶液中自组装；(2)尺寸可控的高度有序的纳米孔阵列；以及(3)允许多种表面化学反应的可能性。膜的无机基质提供了机械稳定性，表面结合的有机分子提供了高质子传导性。除了合成和测试这种膜的特性的实验外，还将对纳米孔内的分子结构和形态进行多尺度模拟研究。一名研究生和几名本科生将参与研究，并计划开展公众宣传活动。