Microstructurally Modified Composite Membranes and Membrane-Electrode Assemblies for Fuel Cell Operations

Hydrogen can be used to complement battery electrification to successfully transition energy to a carbon-neutral future. However, this requires more efficient renewable hydrogen production, handling, and usage through better devices. This includes new membranes that will obey upcoming PFAS regulations. This Phase I project aims to develop new hydrocarbon membranes to improve these devices through a materials approach. The new material uses additives that tune microstructure in hydrocarbon membranes to enable elevated temperatures operation. Technical hurdles that will be addressed include translating materials discovery into testable materials set, integration into a functional catalyst-coated membrane, comparison to go-no-go metrics, and demonstrating device-level data with the new system. The clear deliverable at the end of Phase 1 is a catalyst-coated membrane ready for integrated fuel cell testing. Superior hydrogen devices like fuel cells, electrolyzers and electrochemical compressors enabled by new membranes can realize renewable usage of hydrogen as a multi-vector solution for the future of energy. New nanocomposite membranes will spawn new applied research on these devices and spur basic research on heterogeneous ion transport at interfaces. Globally, hydrogen bolsters U.S energy security by reducing reliance on critical raw materials that are geographically constrained while leveraging existing industrial expertise and gas infrastructure. Economically, the transition to the hydrogen economy would avert 6 Gt of CO2 emissions while creating an estimated 2.5 trillion in revenue and 30 million new jobs by mid-century.