Fuel Cell Membranes

Membranes have played increasingly important roles in fuel cells. For fuel cells, membranes are involved in fuel processing and as proton-exchange and hydroxyl ion-exchange materials in membrane electrode assemblies. In fuel processing, CO2- and H2-selective membranes can be used both in membrane reactor configuration to enhance water gas shift reaction and in the membrane permeation to purify H2, as well as O2-selective membranes can be employed for O2-enriched air production to increase (1) the H2 concentration in the reformed gas from the autothermal reforming or partial oxidation/gasification of liquid fuel (e.g., gasoline, diesel and/or jet fuel), natural gas, biomass or coal and (2) the performance of fuel cell on the cathode side. Proton-exchange and hydroxyl ion-exchange membranes and membrane electrode assemblies, including cost-effective Nafion replacements particularly for 120 – 180oC and new membranes for alkaline fuel cells, are critical to the widespread use of fuel cells. Original and review papers on membranes for fuel cell applications are sought, including (1) fuel processing, (2) proton-exchange membranes, (3) hydroxyl ion-exchange membranes, and (4) membrane electrode assemblies. We will include papers on fundamental understanding through theory, modeling, and controlled experiments as well as engineering, applications and scale-up studies.