Water Uptake of Thin Film Nafion in Proton Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cells

REU: Materials REU | AUTHORS: Joelle Scott​ – Case Western Reserve University

MENTORS: Corey Randall​, Melodie Glasser, Steven DeCaluwe – Colorado School of Mines

ABSTRACT

Proton electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cells convert the chemical energy of hydrogen into electrical energy. These fuel cells are promising for transportation applications, replacing the combustion engine in vehicles and thus reducing CO2 emissions. While they are highly efficient and sustainable, a major issue with fuel cells is their complex water management. Fuel cells can flood or dry out, affecting oxygen and proton transport, which decreases the cell’s performance. In this study, we compare films fabricated at 2000 and 3500 RPM to investigate if spin speed influences expected outcomes of water uptake. These variations in spin speed approximate the difference between spin-coated films and self-assembled films, which is how fuel cells are actually manufactured. Previous studies have investigated this problem, but at high spin speeds that do not accurately represent self-assembled fuel cells. Preliminary results show that spin speed does not have a significant impact on total water uptake, but may affect the kinetics of water absorption/desorption in thin films.

AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY

Joelle Scott is a rising fifth-year chemical engineering student at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, OH. They are originally from Buffalo, NY. At Mines, Joelle has worked in the Department of Mechanical studying water uptake in proton electrolyte membrane fuel cells. At Case, they have done research for the past three years in the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering studying electrospun polystyrene membranes for radiochemical separations. Joelle plans on pursuing a PhD in chemical engineering after graduation and hope to study membranes for environmental applications, such as water purification or carbon capture.