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Fuel Cell Membranes Based on Grafted and Post‐Sulfonated Glycidyl Methacrylate (GMA)
Author(s) -
Buchmüller Y.,
Wokaun A.,
Gubler L.
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
fuel cells
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.485
H-Index - 69
eISSN - 1615-6854
pISSN - 1615-6846
DOI - 10.1002/fuce.201300144
Subject(s) - glycidyl methacrylate , membrane , etfe , grafting , styrene , materials science , polymer chemistry , fourier transform infrared spectroscopy , chemical engineering , methacrylate , sulfonic acid , chemistry , copolymer , polymer , composite material , biochemistry , layer (electronics) , engineering
Glycidyl methacrylate (GMA) was pre‐irradiation grafted into ETFE base film of 25 μm thickness up to graft levels of 300%. The grafted films were sulfonated using a mixture of sulfite and bisulfite. FTIR and SEM–EDX analysis of the synthesized films and membranes was performed to confirm the grafting and the sulfonation. A pronounced front mechanism for grafting of GMA into ETFE was found. Regarding ex situ fuel cell relevant properties, conductivities of up to 0.25 S cm –1 were attained. For the first time, fuel cell testing of this type of membrane is reported. These grafted membranes performed comparable to a commercial benchmark membrane (Nafion® 212) and better than a styrene‐based grafted membrane with similar conductivity. Post‐test FTIR analysis showed that a fraction of the grafted chains was lost during the test under constant current conditions, yet the membrane still exhibited superior durability compared to a styrene‐based grafted membrane. Hydrolysis of the methacrylate groups was shown not to be the principle cause of the loss of sulfonic acid groups.