Fabrication of crosslinked polybenzimidazole membranes by trifunctional crosslinkers for high temperature proton exchange membrane fuel cells

Two trifunctional bromomethyls containing crosslinkers, 1,3,5-tris(bromomethyl)benzene (B3Br) and 1,3,5-tris(bromomethyl)-2,4,6-triethylbenzene (Be3Br), are employed to covalently crosslink polybenzimidazole (PBI) membranes for the high temperature proton exchange membrane fuel cell. The presence of three bromomethyl groups in each crosslinker molecule is expected to create more free volume for acid doping while enhancing the adhesive strength of the PBI chains. In addition, the influence of the two crosslinker structures on the property of the crosslinked membranes is compared and analyzed. All the crosslinked PBI membranes exhibit longer morphology durability over the pristine PBI membrane toward the radical oxidation. Moreover, the crosslinked PBI membranes with the crosslinker Be3Br containing three ethyl groups display superior acid doping level, high conductivity and excellent mechanical strength simultaneously, over those with the crosslinker B3Br and the pristine PBI membrane. Single cell measurements based on the acid doped membrane with a crosslinking degree of 7.5% by Be3Br demonstrate the technical feasibility of the prepared membranes for high temperature proton exchange membrane fuel cells.