I-Corps: Zirconium-perfluorophosphonic acid membranes

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The broader impact/commercial potential of this I-Corps project is derived by significantly lowering the production costs of cation-exchange membranes. By replacing expensive membranes with low-cost alternatives, this technology may find application in redox flow batteries used as utility-scale energy storage devices. The reduction of the production costs of redox flow batteries may enable increased adoption of wind and solar energy sources since large-scale energy storage is a bottleneck that currently impedes growth of renewable electricity markets. This technology may also find application in hydrogen fuel cells. The reduced fuel cell production costs could allow for easier adoption of fuel cell-powered vehicles resulting in the reduction of emissions in the transportation sector.This I-Corps project develops proton-exchange membranes comprised of perfluorophosphonic acid-zirconium polymers. These membranes are derived from affordable natural materials resulting in the potential for low-cost manufacturing via a new synthetic strategy that employs novel free-radical coupling reactions. Proof-of-concept investigations show that these new membranes demonstrate high proton conductivity in water and may significantly reduce vanadium crossovers for redox flow battery applications. This I-Corps project may help identify potential commercialization pathways for these materials and process innovations.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.