Performance improvement induced by membrane treatment in proton exchange membrane water electrolysis cells

Kang，Zhenye1; Wang，Min2; Yang，Yingjie1; Wang，Hao3; Liu，Yanrong3; Mo，Jingke4; Li，Jing1; Deng，Peilin1; Jia，Chunman1; Tian，Xinlong1

2021

10.1016/j.ijhydene.2021.11.227

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF HYDROGEN ENERGY   影响因子和分区

0360-3199

1879-3487

Hydrogen has been widely accepted as the best alternative energy carrier to store intermittent renewable energies. Proton exchange membrane water electrolysis (PEMWE) represents a promising technology to produce highly pure hydrogen with high efficiency and low footprint. While great progress has been made on components, materials and even fabrication processes, new materials or complicated processes still require refinement in the process of continuously improving PEMWE performance and durability. In this study, we demonstrate a facile treatment on membranes, aiming at improving cell performance at low costs. By adopting the hydration in DI water or 0.5 M HSO, or by varying the treatment sequence with the catalyst layer deposition, the PEMWE performance was tuned with the overpotential improvement as high as 50 mV at 2.0 A cm. The PEMWE cells after different treatments were characterized both ex-situ and in-situ, and the mechanism was also proposed. The HSO treatment swelled the micro micelle structure of the Nafion membranes, resulting in a higher proton conductivity and better cell performance compared with those from DI water treatment. In addition, the treatment sequence also had great impact, and the treatment after the catalyst layer deposition would result in better performance due to the reduced resistance and better kinetics. Not only the types of membrane, but also the thickness should be measured and reported when tested, which is more critical when compared across the published works from different groups. This work could also provide a guideline for future membrane treatment and PEMWE cell testing.

Hydrogen production Membrane treatment Performance improvement Water electrolysis

SCI ; EI

英语

其他

Key Research and Develop-ment Project of Hainan Province[ZDYF2020037] ; National Natural Science Foundation of China[11902080,22109034] ; Scientific Research and Cultivation Project for Young Teachers of Hainan University[RZ2100004464] ; Start-up Research Foundation of Hainan University (KYQD)[20008] ; Innovative Research Projects for Graduate Students of Hainan Province[Hyb2020-05]

Chemistry ; Electrochemistry ; Energy & Fuels

Chemistry, Physical ; Electrochemistry ; Energy & Fuels

WOS:000749157300010

PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD

20215111365506

Catalysts ; Cells ; Cytology ; Deposition ; Electrolysis ; Electrolytic cells ; Membranes ; Micelles ; Water treatment

Water Treatment Techniques:445.1 ; Biological Materials and Tissue Engineering:461.2 ; Biology:461.9 ; Gas Fuels:522 ; Colloid Chemistry:801.3 ; Electrochemistry:801.4.1 ; Chemical Reactions:802.2 ; Chemical Operations:802.3 ; Chemical Agents and Basic Industrial Chemicals:803 ; Chemical Products Generally:804 ; Materials Science:951

ENGINEERING

2-s2.0-85121341605

Scopus

1.State Key Laboratory of Marine Resource Utilization in South China Sea,Hainan Provincial Key Lab of Fine Chemistry,School of Chemical Engineering and Technology,Hainan University,Haikou,570228,China
2.Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies,Southern University of Science and Technology,Shenzhen,518055,China
3.Beijing Key Laboratory of Ionic Liquids Clean Process,CAS Key Laboratory of Green Process and Engineering,State Key Laboratory of Multiphase Complex Systems,Institute of Process Engineering,Chinese Academy of Sciences,Beijing,100190,China
4.Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics,Fudan University,Shanghai,200433,China

Kang，Zhenye,Wang，Min,Yang，Yingjie,et al. Performance improvement induced by membrane treatment in proton exchange membrane water electrolysis cells[J]. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF HYDROGEN ENERGY,2021,47(9):5807-5816.

Kang，Zhenye.,Wang，Min.,Yang，Yingjie.,Wang，Hao.,Liu，Yanrong.,...&Tian，Xinlong.(2021).Performance improvement induced by membrane treatment in proton exchange membrane water electrolysis cells.INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF HYDROGEN ENERGY,47(9),5807-5816.

Kang，Zhenye,et al."Performance improvement induced by membrane treatment in proton exchange membrane water electrolysis cells".INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF HYDROGEN ENERGY 47.9(2021):5807-5816.