Precise Molecular‐Level Modification of Nafion with Bismuth Oxide Clusters for High‐performance Proton‐Exchange Membranes

Abstract

Fabricating proton exchange membranes (PEMs) with high ionic conductivity and ideal mechanical robustness through regulation of the membrane microstructures achieved by molecular‐level hybridization remains essential but challenging for the further development of high‐performance PEM fuel cells. In this work, by precisely hybridizing nano‐scaled bismuth oxide clusters into Nafion, we have fabricated the high‐performance hybrid membrane, Nafion‐Bi12‐3 %, which showed a proton conductivity of 386 mS cm−1 at 80 °C in aqueous solution with low methanol permeability, and conserved the ideal mechanical and chemical stabilities as PEMs. Moreover, molecular dynamics (MD) simulation was employed to clarify the structural properties and the assembly mechanisms of the hybrid membrane on the molecular level. The maximum current density and power density of Nafion‐Bi12‐3 % for direct methanol fuel cells reached to 432.7 mA cm−2 and 110.2 mW cm−2, respectively. This work provides new insights into the design of versatile functional polymer electrolyte membranes through polyoxometalate hybridization.

Developing Dawson-Type Polyoxometalates Used as Highly Efficient Catalysts for Lignocellulose Transformation

“…Herein, the pp-ol and ionic species were coarse-grained as spherical beads and the simulations were performed in the canonical (NVT) ensemble through the Large-scale Atomic/Molecular Massively Parallel Simulator (LAMMPS) . The model was constructed based on our previous simulations and other studies; − please refer to the Supporting Information for the efficacy of the model (Figure S15) and simulation details. In Figure a,b, the representative simulation snapshots of the pp-ol/Bet + /Cl – and pp-ol/Ch + /Cl – solutions at the temperature of T ≈ 140 °C are displayed.…”

Integrating Highly Porous and Flexible Au Hydrogels with Soft-MEMS Technologies for High-Performance Wearable Biosensing

“…In addition, the Nafion membrane can also make contribution to further improve the selectivity due to the electrostatic repulsion from its sulfonic acid groups. 40 Furthermore, longterm stability as one of the most critical parameters for the electrode was recorded on the 1st, 5th, 10th, and 15th day. After each measurement, the glucose sensing electrode was washed with distilled water and stored at 4 °C for the next test.…”

“…Such good selectivity of this glucose sensor is dominantly attributed to the specificity of enzyme (GOD), ensuring the accurate detection of target in the complex physiological environment. In addition, the Nafion membrane can also make contribution to further improve the selectivity due to the electrostatic repulsion from its sulfonic acid groups . Furthermore, long-term stability as one of the most critical parameters for the electrode was recorded on the 1st, 5th, 10th, and 15th day.…”

Design of Promising Green Cation-Exchange-Membranes-Based Sulfonated PVA and Doped with Nano Sulfated Zirconia for Direct Borohydride Fuel Cells

“…One of the most important current global challenges is finding alternative solutions to conventional energy sources such as petroleum [ 1 ]. Recently, fuel cells (FCs) have been considered as sustainable energy sources, making them an attractive and alternative category to finite reserves [ 2 , 3 , 4 ]. They can directly convert chemical energy into electrical energy [ 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 ]…”