SBIR Phase I: Commercially Viable Deposition of Catalytic Films Onto Proton Conducting Membranes

这个小型企业创新研究一期项目将进一步开发一种通过开放气氛燃烧化学气相沉积（CCVD）技术在质子传导膜上涂覆催化剂的技术。低温、高效的H2/02和H2/Air基燃料电池是使用多种市售的聚合物质子传导膜来构建的，这些聚合物质子传导膜上涂有催化剂来激活阳极/阴极电离反应。目前，铂催化膜是通过厚膜技术或浸渍涂层沉积的，这导致材料成本高，并且/或者产生机械脆弱的涂层，结合强度低。作为该提案和杜邦的初步概念验证，MicroCoatings Technologies （MCT）在开放气氛下将粘附的铂薄膜沉积在NAFION上。开放气氛CVD技术沉积的铂薄膜通常表现出与真空CVD工艺相似或优于真空CVD工艺的性能。可以沉积半径为10A至100A的理想粘附纳米相颗粒。XRD和SEM分析表明，所得薄膜为非晶态，与基体的附着力较好。聚合物箔只是通过无腔室沉积区移动，这使得大片或机车车辆被快速涂覆。由于CCVD技术使用基于溶液的前驱体，因此蒸汽压力在前驱体的选择中不起关键作用，因此前驱体通常比传统CVD所需的前驱体便宜30%至95%。在第一阶段，我们将评估铂与膜的粘附强度以及它们随沉积变化的微观结构。降低质子导电膜的制造成本是推进质子交换膜（PEM）燃料电池在运输和固定应用中商业化的关键因素。除燃料电池应用外，该研究开发的膜涂层技术的市场还包括化学生产和流体处理。＊＊＊

*** ABSTRACT 9661724 Hornis This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project will further develop a technique to coat proton conduction membranes with catalysts via an open atmosphere Combustion Chemical Vapor Deposition (CCVD) technology. Low temperature, high efficiency H2/02 and H2/Air based fuel cells are constructed using a variety of commercially available polymeric proton conduction membranes that are coated with a catalyst to activate the anodic/cathodic ionization reactions. Currently, platinum catalytic films are deposited by thick film technology or dip-coating resulting in high material expenses and/or yielding a mechanically fragile coating with low bonding strength. As an initial proof-of-concept for this proposal and for DuPont, MicroCoatings Technologies (MCT) deposited an adherent platinum thin film onto NAFION( in the open atmosphere. Platinum thin films deposited by the open atmosphere CCVD technology generally show properties similar or superior to those obtained by vacuum based CVD processes. Desirable adherent nanophase grains with radii of 10A to 100A can be deposited. XRD and SEM analysis indicated that the resulting film was amorphous with good adhesion to the substrate. The polymer foil is simply moved through the chamberless deposition zone, which allows large sheets or roll stock to be coated quickly. Since the CCVD technique uses solution based precursors, vapor pressures do not play a crucial role in selecting the precursor, and thus precursors generally are 30% to 95% less expensive than those needed for traditional CVD. During Phase I, platinum is going to be evaluated for adhesion strength with the membrane and their microstructure with deposition variation. Lowering the manufacturing cost of proton conducting membranes is a critical factor in furthering the commercialization of proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells for transportation and stationary applications. In addition to fuel cell applications, the market for the membrane coating tech nique developed under this research includes chemical production and fluid processing. ***