Advanced Materials for Hydrogen Fuel Cells Safety Enhancement under Caustic Operation Conditions

氢能作为一种高效、清洁的能源，能够同时缓解能源危机和减少环境污染，已成为全球可再生能源发展的重点。氢动力聚合物电解质膜燃料电池（pemfc）具有化学能到电能转换效率高、工作温度低、接近零污染等优点，已被广泛研究和开发，成为电动汽车（EV）、航空、住宅备用电源以及电网规模的储能应用的最合适电源。氢聚合物电解质燃料电池（pefc）的一个固有问题是，在苛性操作条件下，阳极和阴极之间的入口气体压力差会导致膜损坏，特别是当它们用于飞机或潜艇时。从未采用预防方法来消除这种现象。具有更高机械和化学强度的新型膜可以解决这一问题。新的PEM膜将被开发，以增加这种性能，以防止由于腐蚀性操作条件造成的压力冲击、负载或振动等造成的任何损坏。它还将允许加压燃料供应，从而改善质量传递和整体能量输出。氢敏感涂层将应用于阴极流场通道的表面，压力监测电子设备将嵌入膜，气体扩散层（GDL）和现场压力，泄漏和湿度监测，避免了笨重和昂贵的外部连接控制和管理系统的需要。

Hydrogen energy, as a kind of efficient and clean energy, can simultaneously alleviate the energy crisis and reduce environmental pollution and has become the focus of global renewable energy development. Hydrogen-powered polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) with the advantages of high chemical to electrical energy conversion efficiency, low operating temperature, and near-zero pollution have been widely researched and developed to be the most suitable power source for electric vehicles (EV), aviation, residential backup power, as well as energy storage applications up to grid-scale.An intrinsic issue of hydrogen polymer electrolyte fuel cells (PEFCs) where the inlet gas pressure difference between anode and cathode causes damage to the membrane during caustic operation conditions, especially when they are used for aircraft or submarines. A precautionary method has never been applied to eliminate this phenomenon. Novel membranes with higher mechanical and chemical strength can solve this issue. New PEM membranes will be developed to increase such properties to against any damage caused by pressure attack, load or vibration etc. because of caustic operation conditions. It will also allow pressurised fuel supply which improves mass transfer and overall energy output.Hydrogen-sensitive coating will be applied on the surface of cathode flow field channels and pressure monitoring electronics will be embedded on the membrane, gas diffusion layer (GDL) and for in-situ pressure, leakage and humidity monitoring, avoiding the need for bulky and expensive externally connected to control and management systems.