Fuel cell is considered to be one of the most promising clean energy sources since it does not generate toxic gases and other hazardous compounds. It is currently an important research topic in all leading automobile and energy industries and also considered as reaching the threshold of commercialization. Among various kinds of fuel cells, polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFC) are easy to be miniaturized and suited as energy sources for automobiles as well as domestic applications and potable devices. The center of PEMFC is the polymer electrolyte membrane, as it defines the properties needed for other components of fuel cell and is the key component of a fuel cell system. This book is the first book exclusively dedicated on fuel cell membranes. The experts of the field are brought together to review the development of polymeric membranes for PEMFC in all their aspects. The book was written for engineers, scientists, professors, graduate students as well as general readers in universities, research institutions and industries who are engaged in R & D of synthetic polymeric membranes for PEMFC.
Polymer Membranes for Fuel Cells S. M. Javaid Zaidi • Takeshi Matsuura Editors Polymer Membranes for Fuel Cells Editors S. M. Javaid Zaidi King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals Dhahran Saudi Arabia
[email protected] Takeshi Matsuura University of Ottawa Ottawa Canada
[email protected] ISBN: 978-0-387-73531-3 e-ISBN: 978-0-387-73532-0 DOI: 10.1007/978-0-387-73532-0 Library of Congress Control Number: 2008928767 © 2009 Springer Science + Business Media, LLC All rights reserved. This work may not be translated or copied in whole or in part without the written permission of the publisher (Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, 233 Spring Street, New York, NY 10013, USA), except for brief excerpts in connection with reviews or scholarly analysis. Use in connection with any form of information storage and retrieval, electronic adaptation, computer software, or by similar or dissimilar methodology now known or hereafter developed is forbidden. The use in this publication of trade names, trademarks, service marks, and similar terms, even if they are not identified as such, is not to be taken as an expression of opinion as to whether or not they are subject to proprietary rights. Printed on acid-free paper springer.com Foreword From the late-1960’s, perfluorosulfonic acid (PFSAs) ionomers have dominated the PEM fuel cell industry as the membrane material of choice. The “gold standard’ amongst the many variations that exist today has been, and to a great extent still is, DuPont’s Nafion® family of materials. However, there is significant concern in the industry that these materials will not meet the cost, performance, and durability requirementsnecessary to drive commercialization in key market segments – especially automotive. Indeed, Honda has already put fuel cell vehicles in the hands of real end users that have home-grown fuel cell stack technology incorporating hydrocarbon-based ionomers. “Polymer Membranes in Fuel Cells” takes an in-depth look at the new chemistries and membrane technologies that have been developed over the years to address the concerns associated with the materials currently in use. Unlike the PFSAs, which were originally developed for the chlor-alkali industry, the more recent hydrocarbon and composite materials have been developed to meet the specific requirements of PEM Fuel Cells. Having said this, most of the work has been based on derivatives of known poly