Polybenzimidazole/Mxene composite membranes for intermediate temperature polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells

Mingming Fei; Ruizhi Lin; Yuming Deng; Hongxi Xian; Renji Bian; Xiaole Zhang; Jigui Cheng; Chenxi Xu; Dongyu Cai

doi:10.1088/1361-6528/aa9ab0

Polybenzimidazole/Mxene composite membranes for intermediate temperature polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells

Nanotechnology. 2018 Jan 19;29(3):035403. doi: 10.1088/1361-6528/aa9ab0.

Authors

Mingming Fei¹, Ruizhi Lin, Yuming Deng, Hongxi Xian, Renji Bian, Xiaole Zhang, Jigui Cheng, Chenxi Xu, Dongyu Cai

Affiliation

¹ School of Materials Science and Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei, Anhui, 230009, People's Republic of China. Institute of Industry & Equipment Technology, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei, Anhui, 230009, People's Republic of China.

PMID: 29135464
DOI: 10.1088/1361-6528/aa9ab0

Abstract

This report demonstrated the first study on the use of a new 2D nanomaterial (Mxene) for enhancing membrane performance of intermediate temperature (>100 °C) polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (ITPEMFCs). In this study, a typical Ti₃C₂T _x -MXene was synthesized and incorporated into polybenzimidazole (PBI)-based membranes by using a solution blending method. The composite membrane with 3 wt% Ti₃C₂T _x -MXene showed the proton conductivity more than 2 times higher than that of pristine PBI membrane at the temperature range of 100 °C-170 °C, and led to substantial increase in maximum power density of fuel cells by ∼30% tested at 150 °C. The addition of Ti₃C₂T _x -MXene also improved the mechanical properties and thermal stability of PBI membranes. At 3 wt% Ti₃C₂T _x -MXene, the elongation at break of phosphoric acid doped PBI remained unaffected at 150 °C, and the tensile strength and Young's modulus was increased by ∼150% and ∼160%, respectively. This study pointed out promising application of MXene in ITPEMFCs.