Membrane Development

Ion-conductive blend membranes are prepared using a combinatoric approach, the „Blend Concept“,  as depiceted in the scheme below:

By mixing (blending) different shares of cation-exchange, anion-exchange and optionally cross-linking polymers, either cation-exchange, anion-exchange, or high-temperature blend membranes are obtained, as depicted in the scheme below. For preparation of high-temperature membranes, the blend membranes have to be doped with phosphoric acid, a phosphonic acid or a heteropolyacid to make them proton-conductive.

Further reading:

• Development of Ionomer Membranes for Fuel Cells. J. A. Kerres, J. Memb. Sci. 2001, 185, 3-27.
• Design concepts for aromatic ionomers and ionomer membranes to be applied to fuel cells and electrolysis. J. Kerres, Polymer Reviews 2015, 55, 273-306.

Further reading:

Blended and Cross-Linked Ionomer Membranes for the Application in Membrane Fuel Cells. J. A. Kerres, Fuel Cells 2005, 5(2), 230-247.