• Journal of Ceramic Processing Research
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• v.18 no.11
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• pp.810-814
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• 2017

Proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) are some of the most efficient electrochemical energy sources for transportation applications because of their clean, green, and high efficiency characteristics. The optimization of catalyst layer morphology is considered a feasible approach to achieve high performance of PEMFC membrane electrode assembly (MEA). In this work, we studied the effect of the solvent on the catalyst layer of PEMFC MEAs fabricated using the electrostatic spray deposition method. The catalyst ink comprised of Pt/C, a Nafion ionomer, and a solvent. Two types of solvent were used: isopropyl alcohol (IPA) and dimethylformamide (DMF). Compared with the catalyst layer prepared using IPA-based ink, the catalyst layer prepared with DMF-based ink had a dense structure because the DMF dispersed the Pt/C-Nafion agglomerates smaller and more homogeneously. The size distribution of the agglomerates in catalyst ink was confirmed through Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) and the microstructure of the catalyst layer was compared using field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM). In addition, the electrochemical investigation was performed to evaluate the solvent effect on the fuel cell performance. The catalyst layer prepared with DMF-based ink significantly enhanced the cell performance (1.2 A cm-2 at 0.5 V) compared with that fabricated using IPA-based ink (0.5 A cm-2 at 0.5 V) due to the better dispersion and uniform agglomeration on the catalyst layer.

• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.18 no.6
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• pp.473-481
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• 2011

• Journal of the Korean Electrochemical Society
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.109-114
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• 2012

The cathode catalyst layer in polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) was fabricated with anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) template and its structure was characterized with scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) analysis. The SEM analysis showed that the catalyst layer was fabricated the Pt nanowire with uniform shape and size. The BET analysis showed that the volume of pores in range of 20-100 nm was enhanced by AAO template. The electrochemical properties with the membrane electrode assembly (MEA) were evaluated by current-voltage polarization measurements and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The results showed that the MEA with AAO template reduced the mass transfer resistance and improved the cell performance by approximately 25% through controlling the structure of catalyst layer.

• Transactions of the Korean hydrogen and new energy society
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• v.32 no.5
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• pp.315-323
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• 2021

The air-cooled proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFC) stacks, which is widely used in small-sized PEMFC, have a problem in that durability is weaker than that of the water-cooled type. Because the cathode is open to the atmosphere and the structural problem of the air-cooled stack, which is difficult to maintain airtightness, is highly likely to form a hydrogen/air boundary during start-up/shut-down (SU/SD). Through the accelerated durability evaluation of the 20 W air-cooled PEMFC stack, the purpose of this study was to find out the cause of the degradation of the stack and to contribute to the improvement of the durability of the air-cooled PEMFC stack. In this study, it was possible to evaluate durability in a relatively short time by reducing 20-30% of initial performance by repeating SU/SD 1,000 to 1,200 times on an air-cooled PEMFC stack. After disassembling the stack, each cell was divided into two and the performance analysis showed that the electrode degradation was more severe in the anode outlet membrane electrode assembly (MEA), which facilitates air inflow as a whole, than in the inlet MEA. It was shown that the cathode Pt was dissolved/precipitated to deteriorate the polymer ionomer inside the membrane.

• Transactions of the Korean hydrogen and new energy society
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.283-291
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• 2023

The physical properties were analyzed for four gas diffusion layers, and gas diffusion electrodes (GDEs) for the cathode of high-temperature polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell were fabricated through bar coating with three binder to carbon (B/C) ratios. Among them, The GDE from JNT30-A6P showed a significant change in secondary pore volume at a B/C ratio of 0.31, which had the largest pore volume among all GDEs. In the polarization curve, JNT30-A6P GDE showed the best membrane electrode assembly (MEA) performance with a peak power density of 384 mW/cm² at a a B/C ratio of 0.31. From the distribution of relaxation time analysis, the peak 1 corresponding to mass transfer resistance of oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) was significantly reduced in the JNT30-A6P GDE. This is the result that when the binder content decreased, the volume of the secondary pore increased, and the mass transfer resistance of ORR decreased, which played an essential role in the MEA performance.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2005.06a
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• pp.235-238
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• 2005

Sulfonated poly(ether sulfone) copolymers (PESs) were synthesized using hydroquinone 2-potassium sulfonate (HPS) with other monomers (bisphenol A and 4-fluorophenyl sulfone). PESs with different $mole\%$ of hydrophilic group were prepared by changing the mole ratio of HPS in the polymerization reaction. The chemical structure and the thermal stability of these polymers were characterized by using $^1H-NMR$, FT-IR and TGA techniques. The PES 60 membrane, which has $60 mole\%$ of HPS unit in the polymer backbone, has a proton conductivity of 0.091 S/cm and good insolubility in boiling water. The TGA showed that PES 60 was stable up to $272^{\circ}C$ with a char yield of about $29\%\;at\;900^{\circ}C\;under\;N_2$ atmosphere. To investigate the single cell performance, the catalyst coated PES 60 membrane was used and a single cell test was carried out using $H_2/O_2$ gases as fuel and oxidant at various temperatures. We observed that the cell performance was enhanced by increasing the cell temperature. A current density of $1400 mA/cm^2$ at 0.60 V was obtained at $70^{\circ}C$.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.26 no.6
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• pp.407-420
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• 2016

The fuel cell technology as a green energy source has been actively studied to solve energy shortages and pollution problems. The generating efficiency of fuel cell is high because the electricity is directly produced by using hydrogen and oxygen and the additional power generator is not needed. The key technology is the manufacturing process of polymer electrolyte membranes for polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) system. The Nafion, perfluoro-based polymeric membrane is mainly used as a polymer electrolyte membrane. However, the Nafion is expensive and rapidly decreases the performance of Nafion at high temperature. So, many researchers are lively studying new alternative electrolyte membranes. In this review, through the technology competitiveness evaluation of patents and papers, the frequencies of presentation are filed by country, institution and company. In addition, polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell, direct methanol fuel cell and alkaline fuel cell are also filed.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.55 no.3
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• pp.296-301
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• 2017

Recently, there are many efforts focused on development of more economical non-fluorinated membranes for PEMFCs (Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells). In this study, sulfonated poly (ether ether ketone) (sPEEK) membrane reinforced with poly imide was made to enhance of membrane durability. In order to test durability of single (un-reinforced) membrane and reinforced membrane MEA (Membrane and Electrode Assembly), degradation accelerated stress test was used. Before and after degradation, I-V polarization curve, hydrogen crossover current, electrochemical surface area, membrane resistance and charge transfer resistance were measured. As a result of experiments, hydrogen crossover current of reinforced MEA was lower than that of single MEA, therefor durability of reinforced MEA was higher than that of single MEA. There was not especially short phenomena in reinforced MEA after degradation accelerated stress test.

• Journal of the Korean Electrochemical Society
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.9-13
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• 2016

Electrospun poly(ether sulfone) (PES) membrane impregnated with Nafion (PES-N) have been developed for high-temperature polymer-electrolyte membrane fuel cell (HT-PEMFC). The PES-N obtains highly thermal stability up to $430^{\circ}C$, which is higher than that of the commercial Nafion 212. The PES-N membrane shows a good proton conductivity of about $10^{-2}S\;cm^{-1}$ in a temperature range from $75^{\circ}C$ to $120^{\circ}C$. The membrane-electrode assembly (MEA) with the PES-N membrane exhibits a current density of $1.697A\;cm^{-2}$ at $75^{\circ}C$, and $0.813A\;cm^{-2}$ at $110^{\circ}C$ when the applied voltage is 0.6 V, whereas the MEA with the Nafion 212 membrane shows the current density of $0.647Acm^{-2}$ at $110^{\circ}C$. The results suggest that the PES-N can be a good candidate for a polymer electrolyte membrane of the HT-PEMFC.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.32 no.6
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• pp.496-513
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• 2022

In this study, we sought to verify the applicability of anion exchange membrane water electrolysis system using FAA-3-50, Neosepta-ASE, Sustainion grade T, and Fujifilm type 10, which are commercial anion exchange membranes. The morphology of the commercial membranes and the elements on the surface were analyzed using SEM/EDX to confirm the distribution of functional groups included in the commercial membranes. In addition, mechanical strength and decomposition temperature were measured using UTM and TGA to check whether the driving conditions of the water electrolyte were satisfied. The ion exchange capacity and ion conductivity were measured to understand the performance of anion exchange membranes, and the alkaline resistance of each commercial membrane was checked and durability test was performed because they were driven in an alkaline environment. Finally, a membrane-electrode assembly was manufactured and a water electrolysis single cell test was performed to confirm cell performance at 60℃, 70℃, and 80℃. The long-term cell test was measured 20 cycles at other temperatures to compare water electrolysis performance.