Promising Aquivion Composite Membranes based on Fluoroalkyl Zirconium Phosphate for Fuel Cell Applications

Layered zirconium phosphate (ZP) that bears fluorinated alkyl chains bonded covalently to the layers (ZPR) was used as a nanofiller in membranes based on a short-side-chain perfluorosulfonic acid (PFSA) to mechanically reinforce the PFSA hydrophobic component. Compared to the pristine PFSA, membranes with a ZPR loading up to 30 wt % show enhanced mechanical properties, and the largest improvement of elastic modulus (E) and yield stress (σY) are observed for the 10 wt % ZPR membrane: ΔE/E up to 90 % and ΔσY/σY up 70 % at 70 °C and 80 % relative humidity (RH). In the RH range 50-95 %, the in-plane conductivity of the composite membranes reaches 0.43 S cm-1 for 10 wt % ZPR at 110 °C and is on average 30 % higher than the conductivity of the pristine PFSA. The 10 wt % ZPR membrane is as hydrated as the neat PFSA membrane at 50 % RH but becomes progressively less hydrated with increasing RH both at 80 and 110 °C. The fuel cell performance of this membrane, at 80 °C and 30 % RH, is better than that of the unmodified PFSA.