• Korean Membrane Journal
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.8-14
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• 2009

The sulfonated poly(styrene-divinylbenzene-acrylonitrile) (ST-DVB-AN) composite polymer electrolyte membrane based on the original PVC film was successfully synthesized to improve oxidative stability using semi-interpenetrated polymer network (semi-IPN). Weight gain ratio after copolymerization was enhanced by the DVB and AN contents, and the sulfonated membranes were characterized in terms of proton conductivity (k), ion exchange capacity (IEC), and water uptake ($W_U$). The effect of DVB content and AN addition were thoroughly investigated by comparing the resulted properties including oxidative stability. The obtained ST-DVB-AN composited semi-IPN membranes showed relatively high proton conductivity and IEC compared with Nafion117, and greatly improved oxidative stability of the synthesized membrane was obtained. This study demonstrated that a semi-interpenetrated sulfonated ST-DVB-AN composited membrane reinforced by PVC polymer network is a promising candidate as an inexpensive polymer electrolyte membrane for fuel cell applications.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.345-353
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• 2008

Organic/inorganic composite electrolyte membranes were prepared for dye sensitized solar cell (DSSC). Polyethylene Glycol (PEG)s with various molecular weight (400, 600, 1,500 and 3,400) was ethoxysilated to fabricate organic/inorganic composite materials through sol-gel processes. The electrolyte membranes were produced by doping the composite materials with NaI and $I_2$, and their ionic conducting behavior was investigated. The ionic conductivity of the composite electrolyte was highly affected by the PEG molecular weight, and the highest conductivity was shown by the composite membrane prepared with PEG with the molecular weight of 1,500. The composite electrolyte membranes showed considerable improvement of ionic conductivity. Compared to PEO electrolyte membranes, the composite electrolyte membrane prepared by PEG, MW 1,500, showed much higher ionic conductivity.

• Transactions of the Korean hydrogen and new energy society
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.257-265
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• 2001

Placing a hydrogen conducting, methanol impermeable metallic barrier like palladium (Pd) is a well-known method for preventing methanol crossover through solid polymer electrolyte for direct methanol fuel cells (DMFC). Applying a bias potential between the anode and the barrier can further develop this concept so that the hydrogen transfer rate is enhanced. Since hydrogen diffuses in Pd as atomic form while it moves through nafion electrolyte as ion, it has to be reduced or oxidized whenever it passes the interface formed by Pd and the electrolyte. We performed experiments to measure the hydrogen transport through the Pd membrane placed in Nafion electrolyte of hydrogen/oxygen fuel cell (PEMFC). Applying a bias potential between the hydrogen electrode of the cell and the Pd membrane facilitated the hydrogen passage through the Pd membrane. The results show that the cell current measured with the Pd membrane placed reached almost 40 % the value measured with the cell without Pd membrane. It was found that the current flown through the bias path is only a few percent of the cell current.

• Transactions of the Korean hydrogen and new energy society
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.176-182
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• 2022

Since the various characteristics of the polymer electrolyte membrane are not clearly identified, it is difficult to predict and design applications for various conditions. In this study, as a previous study on the aging of the polymer electrolyte membrane, a study was conducted on the change of mechanical properties according to the aging of the polymer electrolyte membrane. Through the tensile test of Nafion 117, the mechanical properties change due to aging was confirmed. As a result of the tensile test, it was confirmed that the aged Nafion 117 had reduced tensile strength. Through DSC measurement, aged Nafion confirmed that the glass transition temperature and enthalpy change were low, which is thought to be the effect of molecular motion and transition due to the lapse of time. The effect is thought to cause a difference in the amount of change in enthalpy, resulting in a difference in mechanical properties during tension.

• Transactions of the Korean hydrogen and new energy society
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.246-251
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• 2017

To fabricate a hydrocarbon polymer electrolyte composite membrane incorporated with Pt nanoparticle, the polymer electrolyte membrane made of a sulfonated-fluorinated hydrophilic-hydrophobic block copolymer (SFBC) and sulfonated poly (ether ether ketone) (SPEEK) blend in the wight ratio of 1 : 1 was synthesized, and a simple drying process was used in order to incorporate Pt nanoparticle into the SFBC/SPEEK film by reducing platinum (II) bis (acetylacetonate), Pt $(acac)_2$. The distribution of the Pt nanoparticles was observed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and mechanical and thermal properties were tested by universal testing machine (UTM) and thermogravimetry analyzer (TGA). Cation conductivity, ion exchange capacity (IEC) and I-V characteristics were estimated.

• Proceedings of the Membrane Society of Korea Conference
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• 2004.05b
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• pp.1-8
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• 2004

Ion-conducting polymer electrolyte membranes (PEMs) have recently used in developing fuel cell or solar cell for portable, mobile and residential applications [1]. Polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC), direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC), alkaline electrolyte fuel cell (AFC) and dye-sensitized solar cell have been employing the ion-conducting PEMs to complete their electrical circuits to produce electricity.(omitted)

• Proceedings of the Korean Powder Metallurgy Institute Conference
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• 2006.09b
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• pp.1227-1228
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• 2006

The electrochemical properties of novel metal powders were investigated for the electrode materias of polymer electrolyte memebrane electrolysis. Two types of Pt black and $IrO_2$ powder electrodes were hot-pressed on the polymer electrolyte membrane to form membrane electrode assembly. The galvanodynamic polarization methode was used to characterize the electrochemical properties of both electrodes. From the experimental results, we concluded that the $IrO_2$ powder electrode exhibits better electrochemical performance than Pt black as cathode material for the electrolysis.

• Proceedings of the Membrane Society of Korea Conference
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• 2008.05a
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• pp.162-162
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• 2008

• Proceedings of the Membrane Society of Korea Conference
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• 2004.05b
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• pp.57-60
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• 2004

Polymer electrolyte membranes have been studied widely in chloro-alkali electrolysis, cationic exchange resins, and fuel cell applications. Especially, sulfonated polyimide membranes have been suggested as a potential polymer electrolyte in PEMFC due to their excellent thermal stability and high proton conductivity.(omitted)

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.510-514
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• 2013

The structural change of Nafion polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) induced by hot-pressing, which is one of the representative procedures for preparing membrane-electrode-assembly for low temperature fuel cells, was investigated by $^2H$ nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. The hydrophilic channels were asymmetrically flattened and more aligned in the membrane plane than along the hot-pressing direction. The average O-$^2H$ director of $^2H_2O$ in polymer electrolyte membrane was employed to extract the structural information from the $^2H$ NMR peak splitting data. The dependence of $^2H$ NMR data on water contents was systematically analyzed for the first time. The approach presented here can be used to understand the chemicals' behavior in nano-spaces, especially those reshaping and functioning interactively with the chemicals in the wet and/or mixed state.