The optimisation of alkaline membrane fuel cell electrodes containing anion-exchange powder ionomers

Varcoe教授的团队(萨里大学化学系)率先在碱性膜燃料电池中使用阴离子交换聚合物电解质(旨在最大限度地减少燃料电池电极中贵金属催化剂的使用)。这些燃料电池在固定备用电力和离网发电领域具有潜在的应用前景。在过去的两年里，在阴离子交换膜的优化方面取得了重大突破[DOI 10.1039/C8TA04783A]。然而，到目前为止，用于将催化剂结合到电极上的阴离子交换粉末离聚体的优化工作还很少。Salam先生博士项目的目的是研究不同的电极配置，以最大化碱性膜燃料电池的性能。目的：1.利用当前最先进的材料和电极结构建立燃料电池性能基准；2.研究不同类型的碳纸电极在不同防湿水平(特氟龙含量)下制备的燃料电池电极的性能差异；3.考察含有不同粒度和形状的阴离子交换离聚体粉末(用不同方法研磨)的燃料电池电极的性能差异；4.考察由不同前驱体制成的阴离子交换离聚体粉末的燃料电池电极的性能差异；5.考察下选功率/研磨组合和不同电催化剂(上述目标采用商用基准铂基燃料电池电催化剂)对燃料电池电极性能的影响。方法：1.制作标准阴离子交换膜和不同的阴离子交换粉离聚体；2.使用已公布的标准技术(离子交换容量、光谱表征、电导率、吸水率)表征上述材料；3.制作含有阴离子交换粉离聚体的电极，用于在单电池碱性膜燃料电池中进行测试(与标准膜一起)。4.如果时间允许，对优化的膜电极组件进行一些现场耐久性研究(这可能是与其他美国或欧盟小组合作)。

Prof Varcoe's group (Department of Chemistry, University of Surrey) has pioneered the use of anion-exchange polymer electrolytes in alkaline membrane fuel cells (targeted to minimise the use of precious metal catalysts in fuel cell electrodes). These fuel cells have potential application in the stationary back-up power and off-grid electricity generation sectors. In the last two years, there have been large breakthroughs in the optimisation of anion-exchange membranes [DOI 10.1039/C8TA04783A]. However, to date, there has been less work on the optimisation of the anion-exchange powder ionomers that are used to bind the catalysts to the electrodes. The aim of Mr Salam's PhD project is to investigate different electrode configurations to maximise alkaline membrane fuel cell performances. Objectives:1. To establish benchmark fuel cell performances with the use of the current state-of-the-art materials and electrode configurations;2. To investigate the differences in the performances of fuel cell electrodes fabricated using different types of carbon paper electrodes with different levels of wetproofing (Teflon contents);3. To investigate the differences in the performances of fuel cell electrodes containing anion-exchange ionomer powders of differing particle sizes and shapes (ground/milled using different methods);4. To investigate the differences in the performances of fuel cell electrodes containing anion-exchange ionomer powders made from different precursors;5. To investigate the differences in the performances of fuel cell electrodes containing the down-selected power/milling combination and different electrocatalysts (the above objectives used commercial benchmark platinum-based fuel cell electrocatalysts). Methodology:1.Fabricate standard anion-exchange membranes and different anion-exchange powder ionomers;2.Characterise the above materials using standard published techniques (ion-exchange capacity, spectroscopic characterisation, conductivity, water uptakes);3.Fabricate electrodes containing the anion-exchange powder ionomers for testing in single-cell alkaline membrane fuel cells (alongside the standard membranes).4.If time permits, conduct some in situ durability studies of an optimised membrane-electrode assembly (this may be in collaboration with other US or EU groups).