Manufacture of Controlled Microstructure Proton Exchange Membranes

2004年，世界各国政府在燃料电池和氢基础设施上的支出超过了15亿美元，据估计，到2007年，燃料电池系统的世界市场将增长10倍，到2012年将达到每年126亿美元。尽管燃料电池技术在过去的十年中取得了很大的进步，但商业化燃料电池发电的主要障碍仍然存在。当代燃料电池的主要缺点之一是质子交换膜（PEM），它作为质子转移的电解质和防止燃料（如氢、甲醇）和氧气在阳极和阴极直接物理混合的分离器。本研究的目的是研究使用溶液和熔体工艺来控制多组分、多相聚合物体系的PEM微观结构，并了解受控微观结构对PEM的传输和力学性能的影响。将研究的聚合物体系包括聚合物共混物、嵌段共聚物和聚合物纳米复合材料。将开发制造膜的方法，同时利用外部电场和磁场将导电相定向到质子输运的方向。使用多组分/多相系统可以将传输和机械特性解耦，这是当前PEM技术的一个主要问题。膜在实际燃料电池环境中的性能将在校园燃料电池中心进行评估，该中心配备了制造膜电极组件（MEAs）和燃料电池试验站的设施。该项目有望产生新的成果，这些成果将发表在科学期刊上，并在国家科学会议上发表。此外，该项目将培训学生在聚合物膜制造和燃料电池技术。本科学生将在学年期间通过独立学习或作为REU学生参加。代表性不足的少数民族学生和妇女将特别成为参与该项目的对象。将开发一个关于燃料电池技术的讲座和示范教学模块，并向高中和初级本科学院的学生和教师提供。研究合作也将建立与科学和工程学院在初级本科院校。工业界将通过美国康涅狄格大学材料科学研究所的工业外展项目——IMS联合项目，了解这项研究的结果。

Worldwide government spending for fuel cell and hydrogen infrastructure surpassed $1.5B in 2004, and it is estimated that world markets for fuel cells systems will grow tenfold by 2007 and reach $12.6 billion per year by 2012. Despite the gains that have been made in fuel cell technology over the last decade, major barriers to implementation of commercial fuel cell generation remain. One of the key shortcomings of contemporary fuel cells is the proton exchange membrane (PEM), which serves as the electrolyte for proton transfer and as the separator to prevent direct physical mixing of the fuel (e.g., hydrogen, methanol) and the oxygen at the anode and cathode. The objective of this research effort is to investigate the use of solution and melt processing to control the PEM microstructure of multicomponent, multiphase polymer systems and to understand the effect of the controlled microstructure on the transport and mechanical properties of the PEMs. The polymer systems that will be investigated include polymer blends, block copolymers and polymer nanocomposites. Methods will be developed for manufacturing membranes and simultaneously orienting the conductive phase in the direction of proton transport using external electrical and magnetic fields. Use of a multicomponent/multiphase system will allow one to decouple the transport and mechanical properties, which is a major problem in current PEM technology. Performance of the membranes in an actual fuel cell environment will be evaluated at an on-campus fuel cell center, equipped with facilities for manufacturing membrane electrode assemblies (MEAs) and fuel cell test stations. The program is fully expected to produce novel results that will be published in scientific journals and presented at national scientific meetings. As well, this program will train students in polymer membrane manufacturing and fuel cell technology. Undergraduate students will participate either through independent studies during the academic year or as REU students. Under-represented minority students and women will be especially targeted for involvement in the project. A lecture and demonstration teaching module about fuel cell technology will be developed and offered to students and faculty at high schools and primarily-undergraduate colleges. Research collaborations will also be established with science and engineering faculty at primarily-undergraduate institutions. Industry will be exposed to the results of the research through the IMS Associates Program, an industrial outreach program in the Institute of Materials Science at the University of Connecticut.