• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.43 no.1
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• pp.118-124
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• 2005

In this study, a novel deposition method of Pt catalysts onto Nafion membranes modified with polypyrrole (PPy) has been proposed for PEMFC application. The PPy/Nafion composite membranes were fabricated by chemical polymerization of pyrrole using $FeCl_3$ and $Na_2S_2O_8$ as initiator. The proton conductivity and water uptake of the chemically prepared PPy/Nafion composites were investigated. The ionic conductivity and water uptake of PPy/Nafion composite membrane prepared with $Na_2S_2O_8$ were decreased with polymerization time of pyrrole. In the case of $FeCl_3$, the ionic conductivity was almost retained and the water uptake was decreased with polymerization time of pyrrole. When the Pt particle was deposited on PPy/Nafion composites membrane by chemical reduction of $H_2PtCl_6$, the Pt loading on Nafion membrane was enhanced by polypyrrole due to electronic conduction property. The performance evaluation with membrane electrode assembly composed of Pt/PPy/Nafion composite and diffusion electrode was carried out using a single cell. As a result of fuel cell test, current density of $569mA/cm^2$ at 0.3 V has been obtained for MEA contained with Pt/PPy/Nafion composite. This study shows that direct deposition of Pt catalysts on Nafion impregnated polypyrrole is a promising method to prepare thin catalyst layer for the PEMFC.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.60 no.2
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• pp.217-222
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• 2022

It is very important to analyze the OCV change behavior during the open circuit potential holding (OCV holding) process, which accelerates the evaluation of the electrochemical durability of the PEMFC membrane. In this study, an empirical formula using the experimental data of three MEAs with different durability was created and compared. The durability evaluation time of the reinforced membrane MEA without radical scavenger inside the membrane was 383 h, and the durability evaluation time of the reinforced membrane MEA with radical scavenger inside the membrane was 1,000 and 1,650 h, respectively. The degradation of the membrane was divided into the reversible degradation that can be recovered by activation and the irreversible degradation that is not recovered. The irreversible degradation of the membrane was indicated by an increase in hydrogen permeability, and the change in hydrogen permeability was similar to the irreversible degradation constant c of all three MEAs. The initiation of irreversible deterioration without recovery is indicated by an increase in hydrogen permeability, and the OCV is not recovered due to an increase in hydrogen permeability, so the slope of the OCV recovery line (ORL) decreases, which can be confirmed by an increase in the constant c value of the empirical formula.

• Transactions of the Korean hydrogen and new energy society
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.391-398
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• 2007

The covalently cross-linked sulfonated polyetheretherketone (CL-SPEEK) membrane was prepared by four-step synthesis of sulfonation-sulfochlorination, partial reduction, lithiation, and cross-linking, and its electrochemical and mechanical properties were investigated for water electrolysis application. The prepared ion exchange membranes showed good electrochemical and mechanical properties; proton conductivity of 0.116 S/cm at $80^{\circ}C$, water uptake of 44.6%, ion exchange capacity of 1.75 meq/g-dry-memb., tensile strength of 64.25 MPa and elongation of 61.11%. The membrane electrode assembly (MEA) with homemade membranes were prepared by non-equilibrium impregnation-reduction (I-R) method. Especially, the electrochemical surface area (ESA) and roughness factor of CL-SPEEK electrolyte by cyclic voltammetry method were 23.46 $m^2/g$ and 307.3 $cm^2-Pt/cm^2$, respectively. The prepared MEA was used in the unit cell of water electrolysis and the cell voltage was 1.81 V at 1 A/$cm^2$ and $80^{\circ}C$, with platinum loadings of 1.31 mg/$cm^2$.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.55 no.4
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• pp.478-482
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• 2017

Humidity control of proton exchange membrane fuel cell(PEMFC) is very important control condition during driving. In terms of water management, low humidification conditions are advantageous, and high humidification is advantageous in terms of drainage utilization and energy efficiency. In this study, the characteristics of outlet water in low humidification and high humidification process were studied in terms of utilization of discharged water. Since the impurities in the effluent are generated during the degradation of the membrane and the electrode assembly(MEA), degradation of the MEA under low humidification and high humidification conditions was also studied. The rate of radical generation was high at low humidification condition of the anode RH 0%, which showed that it was the main cause of the degradation of the polymer membrane. Analysis of effluent showed low concentration of fluoride ion concentration of about 20 ppb at high humidification (both electrodes RH 100%) and 0.6 V, which was enough to be used as the feed water for electrolysis. Very low concentration of platinum below 0.2 ppb was detected in the condensate discharged from the high humidification condition.

• Transactions of the Korean hydrogen and new energy society
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• v.34 no.6
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• pp.673-681
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• 2023

Hydrocarbon-based polymer membranes to replace perfluorinated polymer membranes are being continuously researched. However, hydrocarbon-based membranes have a problem in that they are less durable than fluorine-based membranes. In this study, we sought to compare the annealing effect to improve the durability of sulfonated poly(ether ether ketone) (SPEEK). After membranes formation, thermogravimetric analysis and tensile strength were measured to compare changes in membranes properties due to annealing. After manufacturing the membrane and electrode assembly (MEA), the initial performance and chemical durability was compared with unit cell operation. During the 24-hour annealing process, the strength increased due to the increase in-S-O-S-crosslinking, and the sulfonic acid group decreased, leading to a decrease in I-V performance. By annealing, the hydrogen permeability was reduced to less than 1/10 of that of the nafion membrane, and as a result, open circuit voltage (OCV) and durability was improved. The SPEEK membranes annealed for 24 hours showed higher durability than the nafion 211 membranes of the same thickness.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.61 no.1
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• pp.45-51
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• 2023

In order to improve the durability of the PEMFC(Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells) polymer membrane, a radical scavenger and a support are used. In this study, the durability of membranes containing fucoidan extracted from seaweeds and tannic acid serving as a crosslinking agent is evaluated to improve chemical and physical durability. Physical durability is evaluated by measuring tensile strength, and chemical durability is measured by Fenton experiment. Membrane and electrode assembly (MEA) is prepared and mechanical and chemical durability are measured through accelerated durability evaluation in the cell. The tensile strength measurement showed that fucoidan and tannic acid can improve the mechanical durability of the membrane by improving the strain rate and yield strength. It is shown in Fenton experiment that fucoidan acts as a radical scavenger. As a result of the accelerated durability test in the unit cell, fucoidan improved both chemical and mechanical durability, increasing the accelerated durability evaluation time by 38.1% compared to the additive-free membrane. When tannic acid is added, the durability of the polymer membrane is improved by 13.9% by improving the mechanical durability.

• Proceedings of the KIPE Conference
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• 2007.11a
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• pp.193-195
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• 2007

These days, to change the new & renewable energy change the subject because environmental pollution and exhausted fossil power. The most notable Fuel cells by one of the new & renewable energies are one of very useful power conversion sources. Their advantages are low environmental pollution, highly efficient power generation, diversity of fuels (natural gas, LPG, methanol and naphtha), and reusability of exhaust heat, modularity, and faster installation. PEMFC by one of the Fuel Cells is the energy of new technology which is produced by the electric chemical reaction directly. The essential composition elements of PEMFC stack are membrane electrode assembly (MEA), catalyst, Bipolar Plate. Under the this study, know-how is manufacturing single cell of PEMFC and Study design of Low Voltage, Low Electric Power System by PEMFC Single Cell.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2006.11a
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• pp.413-416
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• 2006

PtRu catalyst is most widely used as anode catalyst for a direct methanol fuel cell(DMFC). To promote the efficiency of the catalysts, it Is important to increase the triple phase boundary. In this study, we have tried to increase the triple phase boundaries in preparing electrocatalysts of the fuel cells, based on the process of grafting a proton-conducting agent onto the catalyst This grafted proton-conducting agent can act as an ionomer like Nafion, currently widely used ionomer. First, we have prepared the 80wt% PtRu/Ketjen Black electrocatalyst by an improved colloidal method. And, we have grafted methylsulfonate groups $(-CH_2SO_3H)$ into the catalyst as proton-conducting agents. As results of cyclic voltammety and single cell test of the membrane electrode assembly (MEA), we can conclude that the activity of the grafted electrocatalysts is superior to that of conventional ones, in performance of DMFCs. For our further study, we will investigate the optimum ratio of catalyst/grafted proton conduct Ing agent with maximum performance of a DMFC.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2007.11a
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• pp.161-164
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• 2007

연료전지의 상용화 시점에 이르러 내구성에 대한 기술 확보가 점점 더 부각되고 있다. 현재 연료전지의 내구성을 감소시키는 1차적인 요인은 핵심부품인 촉매, 전해질막, MEA(Membrane & Electrode Assembly) 등에 의한 것이며 2차적인 요인은 운전 시스템 및 환경 등에 의해 결정되어진다. 특히, 연료전지자동차는 이동용, 가정용, 발전용에 비하여 부하변동이 극심한 조건에서 운전되기 때문에 연료전지 시스템의 내구성 확보에 많은 제어기술이 요구된다. 본 연구에서는 연료전지자동차 운전조건(Driving mode)을 부하변동 기준에 의한 고전류, 중전류, 저전류의 3가지 모드로 분류하였다. 각각의 운전조건에서 일정 cycle마다 성능곡선을 측정하여 10만 cycle 이상의 반복운전을 수행하였으며 측정된 성능곡선을 empirical equation에 적용하여 시간에 따른 overvoltage 인자에 대한 분석을 하였다. 운전시간이 증가함에 따라 고전류 모드의 경우 activation overvoltage 인자 중 current density loss가 증가하여 OCV가 급격히 감소하였으나 내구성은 저전류 모드에 비하여 높게 나타났다. 저전류 모드의 경우 고전류 모드와 상반된 결과를 보였으며 성능감소요인은 activation 및 ohmic overvoltage의 점차적인 증가에 의한 것으로 분석되었다.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2010.06a
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• pp.146.2-146.2
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• 2010

PEMFC를 구성하는 여러 부품 중 핵심부품은 MEA(Membrane Electrode Assembly)으로서 실제 연료전지 반응이 일어나며 연료전지의 성능을 결정하는 부품이다. 그러나 PEMFC의 특성 상 촉매로 귀금속인 Pt가 사용됨에 따라 경제성이 확보된 MEA의 성능을 얻기 위해선 현재 Pt 담지량을 0.3mg/$cm^2$ 이하로 크게 감소시키면서 Pt촉매의 고분산화와 미반응 사이트의 감소가 필요하다. 본 연구에서는 Pt 촉매의 미반응 사이트를 줄이고자 전기영동법에 의해 카본전극(carbon black + GDL) 상에 Pt 나노입자를 직접 석출시켜 Pt/C 촉매 전극을 제조 하였다. 본 실험에서는 가장 좋은 Pt 나노입자의 석출거동을 나타낸 30mA/$cm^2$, pH 2, duty cycle 25% 조건을 기준으로 하여 electro-deposition time을 통한 석출량 제어와 carbon paper의 wet proofing 정도에 따른 Pt의 석출거동을 조사하였으며, 종래의 방법으로 제조한 Pt/C 촉매전극의 전기화학적 특성과 비교 분석하였다. 전기영동 석출법에 사용된 Pt나노입자는 $H_2PtCl_6{\cdot}6H_2O$로부터 화학적 환원법으로 합성한 2~3nm 입경을 갖는 Pt콜로이드를 사용하였으며, magnetic stirring과 항온 ($20^{\circ}C$)을 유지하여 실험하였다. 전기영동 석출량 제어는 electro-deposition time을 5~25분까지 5분 간격으로 나누어 실험하였고 카본전극을 구성하는 carbon paper의 wet proofing 정도가 Pt 나노입자 석출거동에 미치는 영향을 조사하기 위하여 20, 40, 60%의 서로 다른 wet proofing 값을 갖는 carbon paper를 사용하여 Pt/C 촉매 전극을 제조하였다. 전기영동법으로 석출된 카본블랙 전극 상 Pt나노입자의 분산도와 담지량는 각각 FE-SEM과 TGA 장비를 사용하여 측정하였고, 제조된 Pt/C 촉매 전극의 전기화학적 촉매 특성은 cyclic voltammetry(CV)법으로 측정하였다.