Fabrication and Performance Evaluation of Polybenzimidazole/Graphene Oxide Composite Membrane forHigh Temperature Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell

摘要

Polybenzimidazole (PBI) based high temperature proton exchange membrane fuel cells (HTPEMFCs) have attracted more and more attention in these years due to their advantages over low temperature PEMFCs based on perfluorosulphonic acid polymer electrolytes (e.g. Nafion). Based on the acid-base interaction between the acids and the benzimidazole groups in PBI, good proton conductivity at high temperature has been obtained. The doping level of phosphoric acid determines the proton conductivity of PBI. But higher phosphoric acid loading level has some drawbacks i.e, loss of the mechanical property as well as leaching out of unbound acid with the phosphoric acid doping level improvement. In order to solve the above mentioned problem, modification of the PBI matrix by addition of filler is required. Different addition compounds are used to improve mechanical and thermal stability, protonconductivity, operating characteristics [1].