High performance nitrile copolymers for polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells

This paper reports the fuel cells (DMFC and PEMFC) performance using sulfonated poly(arylene ether ether nitrile) (SPAEEN) copolymers containing sulfonic acid group arranged in structurally different ways. The membrane electrode assembly (MEA) fabricated from SPAEEN containing 60 mol% of angled naphthalenesulfonic acid group (m-SPAEEN-60) had superior performance over those derived from pendent naphthalenesulfonic acid group (p-SPAEEN) or sulfonated hydroquinone (HQ-SPAEEN) in H2/air and/or DMFC conditions. For example, the current density of the MEA using m-SPAEEN-60 at 0.5 V and 2.0 M methanol was 250 mA/cm2, whereas the current densities of the MEAs using p-SPAEEN-50 and HQ-SPAEEN-56 were 185 and 190 mA/cm2, respectively. In addition, compared with the sulfonated polysulfone (BPSH-35) and Nafion membranes, the copolymer containing nitrile group showed the improved cell performance. For example, the power density of the MEA using m-SPAEEN-60 at 250 mA/cm2 and 2.0 M methanol was 125 mW/cm2, whereas the power densities of the MEAs using sulfonated polysulfone (BPSH-35) and Nafion were 115 and 113 mW/cm2, respectively. m-SPAEEN-60 showed stable cell performance during extended operation (>100 h).