PBI-Based Membranes for High Temperature Pemfcs: Proton Transport and Functional Properties

High-temperature (100-200C, HT) PEMFCs are attracting for their applications in automotive. The development of devices operating in this temperature range likely requires the substitution of Nafion TM with other polymers which are chemically and electrochemically stable, and can offer the required proton conductivity level (>10 -2 ohm -1 cm -1 ) under low humidity conditions. Polybenzimidazole and its derivatives are good candidates to work as the electrolyte in HT-PEMFCs. In the last years we developed several PBI-based membranes, including moieties with more nitrogen atoms in the main chain (1, 2), with ether oxygens (3), sulphonic groups (4), fluorine atoms and also (nano)composites (5-8). In this paper, we report on the functional properties of this class of electrolytes, and discuss the proton transport mechanisms at different doping conditions. Carollo, E. Quartarone, C. Tomasi, P. Mustarelli, F. Belotti, A. Magistris, L. Garlaschelli and P.P. Righetti, J. Power Sources, 160 (2006) 175-180. E. Quartarone, A. Magistris, P. Mustarelli, S. Grandi, A. Carollo, G.Z. Żukowska, J.E. Garbarczyk, J.L. Nowiński, C. Gerbaldi, S. Bodoardo, Fuel Cells 9 (2009) 349-355. S. Angioni, P.P. Righetti, E. Quartarone, E. Dilena, P. Mustarelli, A. Magistris, International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, 36 (2011) 7174-7182. S. Angioni, D. C. Villa, S. Dal Barco, E. Quartarone, P. P. Righetti, P. Mustarelli, J. Mater. Chem. A, accepted. DOI: 10.1039/C3TA12200J P. Mustarelli, E. Quartarone, S. Grandi, A. Carollo and A. Magistris, Advanced Materials 20 (2008), 1339-1343. E. Quartarone, P. Mustarelli, A. Carollo, S. Grandi, A. Magistris, C. Gerbaldi, Fuel Cells 9 (2009) 231-236. V. Kurdakova, E. Quartarone, P. Mustarelli, A. Magistris, E. Caponetti, M.L. Saladino, Journal of Power Sources, 195 (2010) 7765-7769. V. Di Noto, M. Piga, G.A. Giffin, E. Quartarone, P.P. Righetti, P. Mustarelli, A. Magistris, Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics, 13 (2011) 12146-12154.