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Organic-Inorganic Composite Polymer Electrolyte Membranes pp 327–340Cite as

An Overview of Chemical and Mechanical Stabilities of Polymer Electrolytes Membrane

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Abstract

Fuel cells provide high efficiency, clean energy and low/zero emission compared to fossil-based energy. The most important component of fuel cell systems is polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM), which acts as a charge carrier that transports proton (H+) ion from anode to cathode, as well as a barrier for anode fuel and cathode oxidant gas. Therefore, the basic requirements in terms of PEM performance include (1) good mechanical strength and toughness, (2) high thermal and chemical stability, (3) a good barrier for anode H2 and cathode O2, (4) a good proton conductance and (5) low electron conductance. In this chapter, the important attributes of PEM, such as chemical and mechanical stabilities have been described and reviewed. Efforts have been made to highlight the responses of chemical and mechanical stabilities of membrane at different temperatures and relative humidities of the fuel cell operation that lead to cell failure. A literature review regarding the chemical and mechanical degradation of membrane as well as the mitigation for the membrane degradation has also presented.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to acknowledge the financial support provided by University of Malaya under the Equitable Society Research Cluster (ESRC) Research Grant GC002A-15SBS and Postgraduate Research Grant PG057-2015B. The authors also thank the Ministry of Higher Education Malaysia for MyBrain 15 Scholarship.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Nanotechnology & Catalysis Research Centre (NANOCAT), Institute of Graduate Studies, University of Malaya, 50603, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

    Izazi Azzahidah Amin, Joon Ching Juan & Chin Wei Lai

  2. School of Science, Monash University, Sunway Campus, Jalan Lagoon Selatan, 47500, Bandar Sunway, Malaysia

    Joon Ching Juan

Authors
  1. Izazi Azzahidah Amin
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  2. Joon Ching Juan
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  3. Chin Wei Lai
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Joon Ching Juan .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Engineering & Technology, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, India

    Dr Inamuddin

  2. Faculty of Engineering & Technology, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, India

    Ali Mohammad

  3. Department of Chemsitry, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

    Abdullah M. Asiri

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Amin, I.A., Juan, J.C., Lai, C.W. (2017). An Overview of Chemical and Mechanical Stabilities of Polymer Electrolytes Membrane. In: Inamuddin, D., Mohammad, A., Asiri, A. (eds) Organic-Inorganic Composite Polymer Electrolyte Membranes. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-52739-0_12

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