Polybenzimidazole-Based High-Temperature Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cells: New Insights and Recent Progress

David Aili; Dirk Henkensmeier; Santiago Martin; Bhupendra Singh; Yang Hu; Jens Oluf Jensen; Lars N. Cleemann; Qingfeng Li

doi:10.1007/s41918-020-00080-5

Electrochemical Energy Reviews ›› 2020, Vol. 3 ›› Issue (4) : 793 -845. DOI: 10.1007/s41918-020-00080-5

Review Article

Polybenzimidazole-Based High-Temperature Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cells: New Insights and Recent Progress

Author information +

¹Department of Energy Conversion and Storage, Technical University of Denmark, Fysikvej, 2800, Lyngby, Denmark

²Center for Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Research, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Seongbuk-gu, 02792, Seoul, Republic of Korea

³Division of Energy and Environment Technology, KIST School, University of Science and Technology, 02792, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea

⁴Green School, Korea University, 02841, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea

⁵Dept. Fisica Matematica y de Fluidos, Facultad de Ciencias, UNED, 28040, Madrid, Spain

⁶CSIR-Advanced Materials and Processes Research Institute (AMPRI), 462026, Bhopal, India

^h qfli@dtu.dk

David Aili

is a senior researcher at the Department of Energy Conversion and Storage, Technical University of Denmark (DTU Energy). He has a background as an organic chemist from Linköping University, Sweden. He received his Ph.D. from Technical University of Denmark (DTU) in 2011. His current research at the Department of Energy Conversion and Storage at DTU revolves around polymer-based polymer electrolytes in the context of electrochemical energy conversion.

Dirk Henkensmeier

studied Chemistry at Hamburg University (Ph.D. 2003). After gaining industrial experience in LG Chem and Sartorius and working at PSI (Paul Scherrer Institute, Switzerland), he joined KIST (Korea Institute of Science and Technology) in 2009, where he is a principal researcher. Concurrently, he is also a professor at UST (University of Science and Technology, Korea), is an adjunct professor at Korea University and serves as an associate editor at Journal of Electrochemical Energy Conversion and Storage. The focus of his work is on ion conducting polymers and their use as membrane or electrode binder in energy-related applications such as fuel cells, electrolyzers, flow batteries, actuators and zinc–air batteries.

Santiago Martín

received his Ph.D. (2012) in Physics at National Distance Education University (UNED, Spain) about the application of the electrohydrodynamic spraying for the generation of nanostructured granular deposits. Since then, his research has focused on the development of catalytic layers with optimum properties for fuel cell applications. He held a postdoctoral position (2013) and a Marie Sklodowska-Curie fellowship (2018) at the Department of Energy Conversion and Storage at the Technical University of Denmark. Currently, he is a researcher on low- and high-temperature PEM fuel cells at the Department of Physics of Fluids at UNED.

Bhupendra Singh

received his Ph.D. in Applied Chemistry at the Institute of Technology, Banaras Hindu University, India, in 2009. He gained experience on fuel cell research at Chonnam National University, Korea, and KIST, Korea. Currently, he is a Ramanujan Fellow at CSIR-Advanced Materials and Processes Research Institute (AMPRI), India. The focus of his current research is on synthesis and characterization of materials for intermediate-temperature fuel cells and electrolyzers.

Yang Hu

is currently a researcher at the Department of Energy Conversion and Storage, Technical University of Denmark (DTU). He received his B.Sc. in Chemistry from Jilin University in 2009 and his Ph.D. in Physical Chemistry from the Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, in 2015. His research interests are associated with the fundamental understanding of electrocatalytic processes and the development of catalytic materials for the applications in electrochemical energy conversion and storage.

Jens Oluf Jensen

is a full professor at the Technical University of Denmark, Department of Energy Conversion and Storage (DTU Energy). In 1997, he received his Ph.D. for a study on metal hydrides. Today, his research fields are high-temperature PEM fuel cells and alkaline electrolyzers. He chaired the Third International Carisma Conference (HT-PEMFC) in Copenhagen 2012 and initiated the conference series International Conference on Electrolysis (ICE) in 2017. He is a board member of the Danish hydrogen society, Hydrogen Denmark, and an editorial board member of the journals Electrocatalysis and Molecules (the Electrochemistry Section). At DTU, he teaches hydrogen energy and fuel cells as well as thermodynamics.

Lars N. Cleemann

is an associate professor at the Department of Energy Conversion and Storage, Technical University of Denmark (DTU Energy). He received his Ph.D. in 2010 for a study on HT-PEM fuel cells and their use as chemical reactors. Today, his research field is within high-temperature PEM fuel cells, electrocatalysis and electrochemistry and he is principal investigator on a number of projects in close collaboration with industry. At DTU, he teaches electrochemistry and fuel cells on all academic levels.

Qingfeng Li

is a professor at the Department of Energy Conversion and Storage, Technical University of Denmark (DTU). His research areas include proton-conducting electrolytes, electrocatalysts and the related technologies. He received his Ph.D. in Electrochemistry from Northeastern University, China, in 1990 and was awarded Doctor Degree of Technices at DTU in 2006. He started the research on high-temperature polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (HT-PEMFC) at DTU and has participated/coordinated more than 20 EU and Nordic research projects within the fuel cell area including the 4 M Centre devoted to HT-PEMFCs funded by Innovation Fund Denmark.

Show less

History +

PDF

Abstract

Abstract

High-temperature proton exchange membrane fuel cells based on phosphoric acid-doped polybenzimidazole membranes are a technology characterized by simplified construction and operation along with possible integration with, e.g., methanol reformers. Significant progress has been achieved in terms of key materials, components and systems. This review is devoted to updating new insights into the fundamental understanding and technological deployment of this technology. Polymers are synthetically modified with basic functionalities, and membranes are improved through cross-linking and inorganic–organic hybridization. New insights into phosphoric acid along with its interactions with basic polymers, metal catalysts and carbon-based supports are recapped. Recognition of parasitic acid migration raises acid retention issues at high current densities. Acid loss via evaporation is estimated with respect to the acid inventory of membrane electrode assembly. Acid adsorption on platinum surfaces can be alleviated for platinum alloys and non-precious metal catalysts. Binders have been considered a key to the establishment of the triple-phase boundary, while recent development of binderless electrodes opens new avenues toward low Pt loadings. Often ignored microporous layers and water impacts are also discussed. Of special concern are durability issues including acid loss, platinum sintering and carbon corrosion, the latter being critical during start/stop cycling with mitigation measures proposed. Long-term durability has been demonstrated with a voltage degradation rate of less than 1 μV h⁻¹ under steady-state tests at 160 °C, while challenges remain at higher temperatures, current densities or reactant stoichiometries, particularly during dynamic operation with thermal, load or start/stop cycling.

Graphic abstract

Cite this article

Download citation ▾

David Aili, Dirk Henkensmeier, Santiago Martin, Bhupendra Singh, Yang Hu, Jens Oluf Jensen, Lars N. Cleemann, Qingfeng Li. Polybenzimidazole-Based High-Temperature Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cells: New Insights and Recent Progress. Electrochemical Energy Reviews, 2020, 3(4): 793-845 DOI:10.1007/s41918-020-00080-5