title: Interlocking membrane/catalyst layer interface for high mechanical robustness of hydrocarbon-membrane-based polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells.
abstract: A physical interlocking interface that can tightly bind a sulfonated poly(arylene ether sulfone) (SPAES) membrane and a Nafion catalyst layer in polymer electrolyte fuel cells is demonstrated. Owing to higher expansion with hydration for SPAES than for Nafion, a strong normal force is generated at the interface of a SPAES pillar and a Nafion hole, resulting in an 8-fold increase of the interfacial bonding strength at RH 50% and a 4.7-times increase of the wet/dry cycling durability.
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of EEWS, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon, 305-701, South Korea.
authors.forename: Keun-Hwan
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Oh
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of EEWS, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon, 305-701, South Korea.
authors.forename: Hong Suk
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon, 305-701, South Korea.
authors.forename: Min-Ju
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Choo
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon, 305-701, South Korea.
authors.forename: Duk-Hun
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Jang
authors.affiliation: School of Mechanical Aerospace & Systems Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon, 305-701, South Korea.
authors.forename: Dongyoung
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: School of Mechanical Aerospace & Systems Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon, 305-701, South Korea.
authors.forename: Dai Gil
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Center for Membrane, Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology, Daejeon, 305-600, South Korea.
authors.forename: Tae-Ho
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Center for Membrane, Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology, Daejeon, 305-600, South Korea.
authors.forename: Young Taik
authors.initials: YT
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of EEWS, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon, 305-701, South Korea.|Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon, 305-701, South Korea.
authors.forename: Jung-Ki
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon, 305-701, South Korea.
authors.forename: Hee-Tak
authors.initials: HT
authors.lastname: Kim
keywords: hydrocarbon-based membranes; interfacial bonding; interlocking interfaces; micropillar patterns; polymer-electrolyte-membrane fuel cells