• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.33 no.10
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• pp.3279-3284
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• 2012

Poly(benzimidazole-co-benzoxazole)s (PBI-co-PBO) are synthesized by polycondensation reaction with 3,3'-diaminobenzidine, terephthalic acid and 3,3'-dihydroxybenzidine or 4,6-diaminoresorcinol in polyphosphoric acid (PPA). All polymer membranes are prepared by the direct casting method (in-situ fabrication). The introduction of benzoxazole units (BO units) into a polymer backbone lowers the basic property and $H_3PO_4$ doping level of the copolymer membranes, resulting in the improvement of mechanical strength. The proton conductivity of $H_3PO_4$ doped PBI-co-PBO membranes decrease as a result of adding amounts of BO units. The maximum tensile strength reaches 4.1 MPa with a 10% molar ratio of BO units in the copolymer. As a result, the $H_3PO_4$ doped PBI-co-PBO membranes could be utilized as alternative proton exchange membranes in high temperature polymer electrolyte fuel cells.

• Macromolecular Research
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.101-106
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• 2006

The transport of reactant gas, electrons and protons at the three phase interfaces in the catalytic layers of membrane electrode assemblies (MEAs) in proton exchange, membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) must be optimized to provide efficient transport to and from the electrochemical reactions in the solid polymer electrolyte. The aim of reducing proton transport loss in the catalytic layer by increasing the volume of the conducting medium can be achieved by filling the voids in the layer with small-sized electrolytes, such as dendrimers. Generation 1.5 and 3.5 polyamidoamine (PAMAM) dendrimer electrolytes are well-controlled, nanometer-sized materials with many peripheral ionic exchange, -COOH groups and were used for this purpose in this study. The electrochemically active surface area of the deposited catalyst material was also investigated using cyclic voltammetry, and by analyzing the Pt-H oxidation peak. The performances of the fuel cells with added PAMAM dendrimers were found to be comparable to that of a fuel cell using MEA, although the Pt utilization was reduced by the adsorption of the dendrimers to the catalytic layer.

• Korean Membrane Journal
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.43-51
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• 2007

This paper describes the preparation and characterization of two kinds of fluorinated polybenzimidazole (PBI)s which can be potentially used for phosphoric acid-doped, high-temperature polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells. Two kinds of perfluorocyclobutane (PFCB)-containing monomers were prepared via following synthetic steps; after fluoroalkylation of methyl 3-(hydroxy) benzoate and methyl 4-(hydroxy) benzoate with 1,2-dibromotetrafluoroethane and subsequent Zn-mediated dehalogenation, these compounds were cyclodimerized at $200^{\circ}C$ affording the ester-terminated monomers containing PFCB ether groups. The synthesized intermediates and monomers were characterized using FT-IR, $^1H-NMR,\;^{19}F-NMR$, and mass spectroscopy. The fluorinated PBIs were then successfully prepared through the solution polycondensation of the monomers and 3,3'-diaminobenzidine in polyphosphoric acid. Compared with traditional PBI, the glass transition temperatures of the fluorinated PBIs were obtained at $262^{\circ}C\;and\;269^{\circ}C$ which are lower than that of PBI and their initial degradation temperatures were still high over $400^{\circ}C$ under nitrogen. The fluorinated PBIs showed higher d-spacing values and improved solubility in several organic solvents as well as phosphoric acid, which confirmed they could be good candidates for the high temperature fuel cell membranes.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.180-185
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• 2011

This study is aimed to increase the activity of cathodic catalysts for PEMFCs(Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cells). we investigated the temperature effect of 20wt% Pt/C catalysts at five different temperatures. The catalysts were synthesized by using chemical reduction method. Before adding the formaldehyde as reducing agent, process was undergone for 2 hours at the room temperature (RT), $40^{\circ}C$, $60^{\circ}C$, $80^{\circ}C$ and $100^{\circ}C$, respectively. The performances of synthesize catalysts are compared. The electrochemical oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) was studied on 20wt% Pt/C catalysts by using a glassy carbon electrode through cyclic voltammetric curves (CV) in a 1M H2SO4 solution. The ORR specific activities of 20wt% Pt/C catalysts increased to give a relative ORR catalytic activity ordering of $80^{\circ}C$ > $100^{\circ}C$ > $60^{\circ}C$ > $40^{\circ}C$ > RT. Electrochemical active surface area (EAS) was calculated with cyclic voltammetry analysis. Prepared Pt/C (at $80^{\circ}C$, $100^{\circ}C$) catalysts has higher ESA than other catalysts. Physical characterization was made by using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscope (TEM). The TEM images of the carbon supported platinum electrocatalysts ($80^{\circ}C$, $100^{\circ}C$) showed homogenous particle distribution with particle size of about 2~3.5 nm. We found that a higher reaction temperature resulted in more uniform particle distribution than lower reaction temperature and then the XRD results showed that the crystalline structure of the synthesized catalysts are seen FCC structure.

• Transactions of the Korean hydrogen and new energy society
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• v.28 no.5
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• pp.465-470
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• 2017

Sulfonated fluorinated block copolymers having diphenyl units were mixed with the sulfonated cationic conductive polymers at an optimum mixing ratio to form hybrid membranes for fuel cells and their characteristics were studied. 2D and 3D AFM topology analysis confirmed that the number of hydrophilic units in the hybrid membrane was improved. Through the FE-SEM, the microstructure of the hybrid membrane implied hydrogen bonding and pi-pi interactions, and EDAX confirmed carbon, oxygen, sulfur, and fluorine. The thermogravimetric analysis showed that the hybrid membrane was thermally stable and the hydrophilicity of the hybrid membrane was increased by the contact angle of water droplets. As a result, it was confirmed that the cation conductivity increased by a factor of 1.8 times as the number of acidic domains in the hybrid film increased.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.141-146
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• 2005

In this study, carbon composites were prepared using carbon graphite, thermoset resin, and carbon black. Oxygen permeability was measured using the continuous flow gas permeation analyzer as a function of composition and processing conditions. The experimental results showed that the oxygen permeability increased as the carbon black content increased, whereas the oxygen permeability decreased as the pressing time increased. The oxygen permeability was not affected by the processing pressure.

• Journal of Electrochemical Science and Technology
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.183-196
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• 2017

The research efforts directed at advancing water electrolysis technology continue to intensify together with the increasing interest in hydrogen as an alternative source of energy to fossil fuels. Among the various water electrolysis systems reported to date, systems employing a solid polymer electrolyte membrane are known to display both improved safety and efficiency as a result of enhanced separation of products: hydrogen and oxygen. Conducting water electrolysis in an alkaline medium lowers the system cost by allowing non-platinum group metals to be used as catalysts for the complex multi-electron transfer reactions involved in water electrolysis, namely the hydrogen and oxygen evolution reactions (HER and OER, respectively). We briefly review the anion exchange membranes (AEMs) and electrocatalysts developed and applied thus far in alkaline AEM water electrolysis (AEMWE) devices. Testing the developed components in AEMWE cells is a key step in maximizing the device performance since cell performance depends strongly on the structure of the electrodes containing the HER and OER catalysts and the polymer membrane under specific cell operating conditions. In this review, we discuss the properties of reported AEMs that have been used to fabricate membrane-electrode assemblies for AEMWE cells, including membranes based on polysulfone, poly(2,6-dimethyl-p-phylene) oxide, polybenzimidazole, and inorganic composite materials. The activities and stabilities of tertiary metal oxides, metal carbon composites, and ultra-low Pt-loading electrodes toward OER and HER in AEMWE cells are also described.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Precision Engineering Conference
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• 2006.05a
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• pp.547-548
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• 2006

This study focuses on a determination of amount of Pt in the Pt/C for catalysts of polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFC). PEMFC offer low weight and high power density and being considered fur automotive and stationary power applications. The PEMFC behavior is quite complex is influenced by several factors, including catalysts and structure of electrode and membrane type. Catalyst of electrode is important factor for PEMFC. One of the obstacles preventing polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells from commercialization is the high cost of noble metals to be used as catalyst, such as platinum. To effectively use these metals, they have to be will dispersed to small particles on conductive carbon supports. The optimal amount of Pt in Pt/C was investigated by using polarization curves in single cell with $H_2/O_2$ operation.

• Transactions of the Korean hydrogen and new energy society
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.41-55
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• 2018

General polymer electrolyte fuel cell (PEMFC) operates at less than $80^{\circ}C$. Therefore liquid phase water resulting from electrochemical reaction accumulates and floods the cell which in turn increases the mass transfer loss. To prevent the flooding, it is common to employ serpentine flow channel, which can efficiently export liquid phase water to the outlet. The major drawback of utilizing serpentine flow channel is the large pressure drop that happens between the inlet and outlet. On the other hand, in the high temperature polymer electrolyte fuel cell (HT-PEMFC), since the operating temperature is 130 to $180^{\circ}C$, the generated water is in the state of gas, so the flooding phenomenon is not taken into consideration. In HT-PEMFCs parallel flow channel with lower pressure drop between the inlet and outlet is employed therefore, in order to circulate hydrogen and air in the cell less pumping power is required. In this study we analyzed HT-PEMFC's different flow channels by parallel computation using previously developed 3-D isothermal model. All the flow channels had an active area of $25cm^2$. Also, we numerically compared the performance of HT-PEMFC parallel flow channel with different manifold area and Rib interval against the original serpentine flow channel. Results of the analysis are shown in the form of three-dimensional contour polarization curves, flow characteristics in the channel, current density distribution in the Membrane, overpotential distribution in the catalyst layer, and hydrogen and oxygen concentration distribution. As a result, the performance of a real area fuel cell was predicted.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Precision Engineering Conference
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• 2006.05a
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• pp.553-554
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• 2006

This paper presents the effects of different operating parameters on the performance of a proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell by a three-dimensional computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model. The effects of different operating parameters on the performance of PEM fuel cell studied using pure hydrogen on the anode side and air on the cathode side. The various parameters are temperatures, pressures, humidification of the gas steams and various combinations of these parameters. In addition, geometrical and material parameters such as the gas diffusion layer (GDL) thickness and porosity as well as the ratio between the channel width and the land area were investigated.