Ionomer thin film studies: effect of ionomer type on structure and properties

自2014年12月丰田推出首款以PEFC为动力的商用车Mirai以来，聚合物电解质燃料电池(PEFC)在过去一年中重新引起了人们的极大兴趣。性能的持续改进和成本的降低仍然是这项技术的中长期重点。离子导电聚合物(离聚体)是质子交换膜燃料电池的关键材料成分。这种材料以10s厚的电解质膜和纳米薄膜的形式存在于PEFCs的催化层中。这项研究的最终目标是建立不同分子结构的不同离聚体的超薄离聚体薄膜的结构-性能关系，以帮助我们的工业合作伙伴在选择离聚体类型时做出科学的选择，并为设计高性能CLS调整制造条件。此外，根据产生的新知识/数据，可以为新型离聚体的合成或开发建立合理的设计规则。此外，离聚体结构-性能关系的基础知识可能对更广泛的工程/科学/技术界有用，例如那些涉及将离聚体薄膜用于其他应用的人，如执行器、电解槽、传感器、基于聚合物电解质的电池以及新方法。

Polymer electrolyte fuel cells (PEFCs) have regained a lot of interest over the past year after the launch of first PEFC-powered commercial vehicle by Toyota - the Mirai - in December 2014. Continual improvement in performance and reduction in cost still remain the mid-to-long term focus for this technology. The ion-conducting polymer (ionomer) is a critical material component of PEFCs. This material exists as 10s of microns thick electrolyte membrane and also as nano-thin films in the catalyst layer of PEFCs. The ultimate objective of the proposed research is to establish the structure-property relationships of the ultra-thin ionomer films for a number of different ionomers varying in molecular structure to help our industrial partner make science-based choice in selecting ionomer type and to tune fabrication conditions for designing high performance CLs. Additionally, from the new knowledge/data generated, rational design rules might be set up for novel synthesis or development of ionomer. In addition, the fundamental knowledge on ionomer structure-property relations could be useful to broader engineering/scientific/technological community, e.g. those involved in using thin ionomer films for other applications such as actuators, electrolyzers, sensors, polymer electrolyte based batteries in as well as new methodologies.