Nanocoating for increased Nafion Membrane Durability and Efficiency

Hydrogen can be used to decarbonize historically difficult to abate sectors such as heavy-duty trucking and other industrial applications. However, this requires improvements in hydrogen fuel cell technologies such as a higher durability to meet total the longer use case of industrial equipment. The objective of this Phase I project is to develop a new nanocomposite coated membrane to simultaneously improve device durability and efficiency. This coating uses a new nanocomposite that augments nanoscale interfacial phenomena to impart proton conductivity at low humidity. The higher ceramic content of the composite further improves gas permeability to increase durability while allowing for thinner membranes for higher device efficiency. Technical hurdles that will be addressed include process discovery for coating onto existing fuel cell membranes, technoeconomic analysis to address change in cost from addition of a coating on the total device price, 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 that is ready for integrated fuel cell testing. Superior hydrogen devices like fuel cells enabled by new membranes can realize renewable usage of hydrogen as a multi-vector solution for the future of energy. New nanocomposite membranes can catalyze adoption of a hydrogen economy by enabling a pathway to market starting with heavy industrial applications. 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.