Determination of Ce3+, Co2+, Mn2+ and Fe2+ diffusion coefficients in Nafion® membrane

Concentration gradient diffusion coefficients for Ce3+, Co2+, Mn2+ and Fe2+ cations are determined in Nafion®211 membranes over a wide range of environmental conditions. Measurements are made using finite-width cation-rich bands introduced to NR211 via a hot-pressing procedure. A robust method of accurate diffusion coefficient determination of the finite-width deposits is developed using a Fick's second law of diffusion solution for one-dimensional systems. The transition metal dications are found to have nearly identical NR211 diffusion coefficients under water saturated conditions over the 22–80 °C range. The powerful chemical mitigant, Ce3+, is about one-half as diffusive as the dications under identical conditions. Derived diffusion coefficients for Ce3+ and Co2+ are found to be independent of initial cation concentration over the range of 12.5–70 mol% exchange level. The diffusion behavior of Ce3+ in 80 °C liquid water and saturated water vapor is identical. The diffusion coefficients of Ce3+ are shown to have a strong dependence on membrane hydration level varying by a factor of more than 30 over the range of 95 to 40% RH. The implications of these new diffusion findings are applied to a discussion of potential guidelines for the development of highly durable fuel cell systems, which employ mobile metal cations as lifetime-extending redox stabilizers.