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CsHSO4 as proton conductor for high-temperature polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells

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Abstract

The influence of CsHSO4 inorganic solid acid was evaluated as a possible proton conductor in the catalyst layer of ABPBI (poly(2,5-benzimidazole))-based high-temperature polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (HT-PEMFCs). Gas diffusion electrodes (GDEs) were prepared with fixed polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) and polyvinylidene diflouride (PVDF) binder content, while the CsHSO4 loading was varied. Porosimetry data showed that the addition of 10 % CsHSO4 to the PVDF GDE increased the porosity across all the pore regions, whereas the addition of 10 % CsHSO4 to the PTFE GDE decreased the GDEs porosity. The CsHSO4 MEAs showed good proton transfer dynamics and low resistance for fuel cell operation. An optimum loading of 10 % CsHSO4 in conjunction with either of the binders was observed, with CsHSO4–PVDF GDE achieving peak power of 498.2 mW cm−2 at a cell voltage of +352 mV. Higher CsHSO4 loadings increased the charge transfer resistance and lowered the cell performance of these GDEs.

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Acknowledgments

This work is supported by Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies RDI Programme (HySA), funded by the Department of Science and Technology in South Africa, project KP1S01.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. HySA Systems Competence Centre, South African Institute for Advanced Materials Chemistry, University of the Western Cape, Private Bag X17, Bellville, 7535, South Africa

    Olivia Barron, Huaneng Su, Vladimir Linkov, Bruno G. Pollet & Sivakumar Pasupathi

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  1. Olivia Barron
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  2. Huaneng Su
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  3. Vladimir Linkov
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  4. Bruno G. Pollet
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  5. Sivakumar Pasupathi
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Correspondence to Huaneng Su.

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Barron, O., Su, H., Linkov, V. et al. CsHSO4 as proton conductor for high-temperature polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells. J Appl Electrochem 44, 1037–1045 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10800-014-0715-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10800-014-0715-x

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