Advanced polymer electrolyte membranes for alcohol fuel cell sensors

乙醇燃料电池传感器（AFCS）由于在人体呼气酒精浓度检测方面的巨大潜力而受到广泛关注。与AFCS特别相关的一个主要技术障碍是由于质子电解质膜（PEM）和催化剂层（CL）在环境（温度和湿度）极端条件下脱水导致传感器性能下降。我们解决这个问题的方法是（i）开发和应用一种在各种环境条件下具有高保水能力的复合PEM，以及（ii）膜电极组件（MEA）制造方法的优化可以在确定和延长AFCS性能方面提供显着的进步。该项目的最终目标是开发新型的不依赖湿度的复合膜和具有优异稳定性的MEA用于燃料电池传感器，并首次与Alcohol Countermeasure Systems Corp.合作，将燃料电池传感器商业化。研究结果将有助于提高燃料电池传感器的性能和稳定性，降低成本，扩大和提高加拿大相关产业的能力，从而为加拿大知识经济的发展做出贡献。拟议的研究可能会带来革命性的进步，燃料电池传感器技术，利用最新进展的纳米技术。拟议的活动还旨在培训高素质人员（HQP），他们将对加拿大和全球下一代技术的发展至关重要。

Alcohol fuel cell sensor (AFCS) has been attracting considerable attention due to the great potential in the detection of human breath alcohol concentration. One major technical barrier specifically associated with the AFCS is performance decrease of the sensor due to dehydration of the proton electrolyte membrane (PEM) and catalysts layers (CL) within environmental (temperature and humidity) extremes. Our approach to solve the problem is to (i) develop and apply a composite PEM with high capacity for water retention at various environmental conditions and (ii) the optimization of membrane electrode assembly (MEA) fabrication methods could provide a significant advancement in determining and prolonging the performance of AFCSs. The ultimate goal of this project is to develop novel humidity-independant composite membranes and MEA with excellent stability for fuel cell sensors and initiate the first time collaboration with Alcohol Countermeasure Systems Corp. to commercialize of the fuel cell sensors. The results of the proposed research will help enhance the performance and stability and reduce the cost of fuel cell sensors, and expand and enhance the capability of relevant Canadian industry, thus contributing to the development of knowledge-based Canadian economy. The proposed research could bring revolutionary advances to the fuel cell sensor technology by taking advantages of the most recent progresses in nanotechnology. The proposed activity also aims to train highly qualified personnel (HQP) who will be critical in the development of next generation technology in Canada and globally.