Hydrogen bonding: a channel for protons to transfer through acid-base pairs.
Different from H(3)O(+) transport as in the vehicle mechanism, protons find another channel to transfer through the poorly hydrophilic interlayers in a hydrated multiphase membrane. This membrane was prepared from poly(phthalazinone ether sulfone kentone) (SPPESK) and H(+)-form perfluorosulfonic resin (FSP), and poorly hydrophilic electrostatically interacted acid-base pairs constitute the interlayer between two hydrophilic phases (FSP and SPPESK). By hydrogen bonds forming and breaking between acid-base pairs and water molecules, protons transport directly through these poorly hydrophilic zones. The multiphase membrane, due to this unique transfer mechanism, exhibits better electrochemical performances during fuel cell tests than those of pure FSP and Nafion-112 membranes: 0.09-0.12 S cm(-1) of proton conductivity at 25 degrees C and 990 mW cm(-2) of the maximum power density at a current density of 2600 mA cm(-2) and a cell voltage of 0.38 V.
Wu
Liang
L
Laboratory of Functional Membranes, School of Chemistry and Materials Science, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230026, People's Republic of China.
Huang
Chuanhui
C
Woo
Jung-Je
JJ
Wu
Dan
D
Yun
Sung-Hyun
SH
Seo
Seok-Jun
SJ
Xu
Tongwen
T
Moon
Seung-Hyeon
SH