• Membrane Journal
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• v.32 no.5
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• pp.292-303
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• 2022

An eco-friendly energy conversion device without the emission of pollutants has gained much attention due to the rapid use of fossil fuels inducing carbon dioxide emissions ever since the first industrial revolution in the 18th century. Polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) that can produce water during the reaction without the emission of carbon dioxide are promising devices for automotive and residential applications. As a key component of PEMFCs, polymer electrolyte membranes (PEMs) need to have high proton conductivity and physicochemical stability during the operation. Currently, perfluorinated sulfonic acid-based PEMs (PFSA-PEMs) have been commercialized and utilized in PEMFC systems. Although the PFSA-PEMs are found to meet these criteria, there is an ongoing need to improve these further, to be useful in practical PEMFC operation. In addition, the well-known drawbacks of PFSA-PEMs including low glass transition temperature and high gas crossover need to be improved. Therefore, this review focused on recent trends in the development of high-performance PFSA-PEMs in three different ways. First, control of the side chain of PFSA copolymers can effectively improve the proton conductivity and thermal stability by increasing the ion exchange capacity and polymer crystallinity. Second, the development of composite-type PFSA-PEMs is an effective way to improve proton conductivity and physical stability by incorporating organic/inorganic additives. Finally, the incorporation of porous substrates is also a promising way to develop a thin pore-filling membrane showing low membrane resistance and outstanding durability.

• Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.192-196
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• 2008

The generation of high purity hydrogen from reformed hydrocarbon fuels, or syngas, is essential for efficient operation of the fuel cell (PEMFC, Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cell). Usually, major components of reformed gas are $H_2$, CO, $CO_2$ and $H_2O$. Especially a major component, CO poisons the electrode of fuel cells. The water gas shifter (WGS) that shifts CO to $CO_2$ and simultaneously produces $H_2$, was developed to a two stage catalytic conversion process involving a high temperature shifter (HTS) and a low temperature shifter (LTS). Also, experiments were carried out to reduce the carbon monoxide up to $3{\sim}4%$ in the HTS and lower than 5,000 ppm via the LTS.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2009.11a
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• pp.166-169
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• 2009

Poly(benzimidazole-co-aniline) (PBIANI), a self-crosslinked, net-structured, proton conducting polymer has been synthesized for the membrane of high temperature proton exchange membrane fuel cells (HT-PEMFC) with improved proton conductivity and mechanical strength. The stress at break (26$\pm$3MPa)and proton conductivity (167 mS cm-1)of the phosphoric acid doped PBIANI (DPBIANI)membrane is much higher than those of other doped polybenzimidazole(PBI) type membranes.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.32 no.6
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• pp.1902-1906
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• 2011

Sulfonated poly(fluorinated arylene ether)s (SDF-F)/poly[(N-vinylimidazole)-co-(3-methacryloxypropyl-trimethoxysilane)] (poly(VI-co-MPS))/poly(tetrafluoroethylene) (PTFE) is prepared for a high temperature proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC). The reaction of the membrane with phosphoric acid forms silicate phosphor, as a chemically bound proton carrier, in the membrane. Thus-formed silicate phosphor, nitrogen in the imidazole ring, and physically bound phosphoric acid act as proton carriers in the membrane. The physico-chemical and electrochemical properties of the membrane are investigated by various analytical tools. The phosphoric acid uptake and proton conductivity of the SDF-F/poly(VI-co-MPS)/PTFE membrane are higher than those of SDF-F/PVI/PTFE. The power densities of cells with SDF-F/poly(VI-co-MPS)/PTFE membranes at 0.6 V are 286, 302, and 320 mW $cm^{-2}$ at 150, 170, and 190 $^{\circ}C$, respectively. Overall, the SDFF/poly(VI-co-MPS)/PTFE membrane is one of the candidates for anhydrous HT-PEMFCs with enhanced mechanical strength and improved cell performance.

• International Journal of Automotive Technology
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• v.7 no.7
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• pp.867-872
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• 2006

Fuel cells are devices that convert chemical energy directly into electrical energy. Owing to the high efficiency of the fuel cells, a large number of research work have been done during these years. Among many kinds of the fuel cells, a polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell is such kind of thing which works under low temperature. Because of the specialty, it stimulated intense global R&D competition. Most of the major world automakers are racing to develop polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell passenger vehicles. Unfortunately, there are still many problems to be solved in order to make them into the commercial use, such as the thermal and water management in working process of PEMFCs. To solve the difficulites facing the researcher, the analysis of the inner mechanism of PEMFC should be implemented as much as possible and mathematical modeling is an important tool for the research of the fuel cell especially with the combination of experiment. By regarding some of the assumptions and simplifications, using the finite element technique, a two-dimensional electrochemical mode is presented in this paper for the further comparison with experimental data. Based on the principals of the problem, the equations of electronic charge conservation equation, gas-phase continuity equation, and mass balance equation are used in calculating. Finally, modeling results indicate some of the phenomenon in a unit cell, and the relationships between potential and current density.

• Journal of Advanced Marine Engineering and Technology
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.244-249
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• 2012

Recently energy crisis and environmental pollution using fossil fuel became social issue. The Fuel Cell, one of the new and renewable energy has great advantage for the former mentioned problems. The PEM Fuel Cell needs highly purified hydrogen for fuel, in many cases CH4 was reformed to H2 basically using steam reforming. The purpose of this paper is to understand the probability of ceramic honeycomb to apply the combustor of STR. We tested the heat accumulation performance of ceramic honeycomb by change of excess air ratio. The results were suitable for our purpose and also these results can be used to make high temperature air at mild combustion field.

• Journal of Hydrogen and New Energy
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.114-121
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• 2003

Hydrogen generation system using aqueous $NaBH_4$ solution was developed for feeding small polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs). Ru was selected as a catalyst with its high activity for the hydrogen generation reaction. Hydrogen generation rate was measured with changing the solution temperature, amount of catalyst loading, $NaBH_4$ concentration, and NaOH (a base-stabilizer) concentration. A passive air-breathing 2 W PEMFC stack was operated on hydrogen generated using $20wt%\;NaBH_4+5wt%$ NaOH solution and Ru catalyst.

• Journal of Surface Science and Engineering
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• v.46 no.5
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• pp.192-196
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• 2013

Stainless steels (AISI 316L) are carburized by Inductively coupled plasma using $CH_4$ and Ar gas. The ${\gamma}_c$ phase(S-phase) is formed on the surface of stainless steel after carburizing process. The XRD peak of carburized samples is shifted to lower diffracting angle due to lattice expansion. Overall, the thickness of ${\gamma}_c$ phase showed a linear dependence with respect to increasing temperature due to the faster rate of diffusion of carbon. However, at temperatures above 500, the thickness data deviated from the linear trend. It is expected that the deviation was caused from atomic diffusion as well as other reactions that occurred at high temperatures. The interfacial contact resistance (ICR) and corrosion resistance are measured in a simulated proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) environment. The ICR value of the carburized samples decreased from 130 $m{\Omega}cm^2$ (AISI 316L) to about 20 $m{\Omega}cm^2$. The sample carburized at 200 showed the best corrosion current density (6 ${\mu}Acm^{-2}$).

• Journal of Hydrogen and New Energy
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• v.29 no.6
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• pp.578-586
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• 2018

In this study, we prepared the modified PBI random copolymer to reduce the problems of the pristine PBI about low solubility and proton conductivity. The random copolymer was synthesized from suberic acid, 5-aminoisophthalic acid, and 3,3'-diaminobenzidine to obtain $X_1Y_9$, $X_1Y_1$, $X_9Y_1$. Then, the membrane was fabricated by using solvent casting method with methanesulfonic acid at $140^{\circ}C$. Subsequently, the membrane was doped with phosphoric acid at $40^{\circ}C$. The chemical structure of the polymers was characterized by FT-IR. In addition, the physiochemical properties of the PBI were investigated by TGA, oxidative stability, acid uptake. Finally, the proton conductivity was measured at $100-180^{\circ}C$ without humidification. As the result, $X_1Y_9$ PBI random copolymer membrane showed higher conductivity.

• Journal of Hydrogen and New Energy
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.128-135
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• 2019

In this study, the mesoporous $SiO_2$ (5, 10, or 15 wt%) was incorporated into the polybenzimidazole matrix in order to improve the proton conduction as well as physiochemical properties of composite membrane. The chemical structure of mesoporous $SiO_2$ and crystallinity of as-prepared membranes were analyzed by Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, respectively. The thermal stability of the pristine $X_1Y_9$ and composite membranes were evaluated by thermogravimetric analyzer (TGA). On other side, the physical and chemical properties of the pristine $X_1Y_9$ and composite membranes were also determined by acid uptake and oxidative stability tests, respectively. With the incorporation of 15 wt% $SiO_2$, the composite membrane exhibits the higher proton conductivity that may be applicable for non-humidified high temperature fuel cell applications.