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Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
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TY - JOUR
T1 - Anhydrous Proton Conduction Through a Chemically Robust Electrolyte Enabling a High-Temperature Non-Precious Metal Catalyzed Fuel Cell
AU - Zou, Junyan
AU - Zhao, Yu
AU - Mollart, Catherine
AU - Peach, Michael J G
AU - Fayon, Pierre
AU - Heasman, Patrick
AU - Fletcher, Peter A T J
AU - Xu, Jinchang
AU - Liang, Wanli
AU - Trewin, Abbie
AU - Ben, Teng
PY - 2024/4/18
Y1 - 2024/4/18
N2 - AbstractFuel cells offer great promise for portable electricity generation, but their use is currently limited by their low durability, excessive operating temperatures, and expensive precious metal electrodes. It is therefore essential to develop fuel cell systems that can perform effectively using more robust electrolyte materials, at reasonable temperatures, with lower‐cost electrodes. Recently, proton exchange membrane fuel cells have attracted attention due to their generally favorable chemical stability and quick start‐up times. However, in most membrane materials, water is required for proton conduction, severely limiting operational temperatures. Here, for the first time it is demonstrated that when acidified, PAF‐1 can conduct protons at high temperatures, via a unique framework diffusion mechanism. It shows that this acidified PAF‐1 material can be pressed into pellets with high proton conduction properties even at high temperatures and pellet thickness, highlighting the processibility, and ease of use of this material. Furthermore, a fuel cell is shown with high power density output is possible using a non‐precious metal copper electrode. Acid‐doped PAF‐1 therefore represents a significant step forward in the potential for a broad‐purpose fuel cell due to it being cheap, robust, efficient, and easily processible.
AB - AbstractFuel cells offer great promise for portable electricity generation, but their use is currently limited by their low durability, excessive operating temperatures, and expensive precious metal electrodes. It is therefore essential to develop fuel cell systems that can perform effectively using more robust electrolyte materials, at reasonable temperatures, with lower‐cost electrodes. Recently, proton exchange membrane fuel cells have attracted attention due to their generally favorable chemical stability and quick start‐up times. However, in most membrane materials, water is required for proton conduction, severely limiting operational temperatures. Here, for the first time it is demonstrated that when acidified, PAF‐1 can conduct protons at high temperatures, via a unique framework diffusion mechanism. It shows that this acidified PAF‐1 material can be pressed into pellets with high proton conduction properties even at high temperatures and pellet thickness, highlighting the processibility, and ease of use of this material. Furthermore, a fuel cell is shown with high power density output is possible using a non‐precious metal copper electrode. Acid‐doped PAF‐1 therefore represents a significant step forward in the potential for a broad‐purpose fuel cell due to it being cheap, robust, efficient, and easily processible.
KW - fuel cells
KW - anhydrous proton conduction
KW - sulfuric acid
KW - phosphoric acid
KW - porous aromatic framework
U2 - 10.1002/smll.202308677
DO - 10.1002/smll.202308677
M3 - Journal article
C2 - 38009515
VL - 20
JO - Small
JF - Small
SN - 1613-6810
IS - 16
M1 - e2308677
ER -