Modification of Sulfonated Aromatic Polymers as a Substitution for Nafion Membrane in Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells

Proton exchange membrane fuel cells are one types of fuel cells in which a functionalized polymeric membrane is placed between cathode and anode and transports the proton ions along the membrane. The commercial membrane for this fuel cells is Nafion but because of Nafion’s disadvantages like its high cost and poor efficiency at high temperatures has been tried to be substituted with a better aromatic polymer. Vast variety of aromatic polymers were used and lots of modifications were introduced to them to make better substitution for Nafion. In this article some of these modifications like making polymer blends, composites, and crosslinking for improving the properties of functionalized aromatic polymers are summarized.

Keywords:

aromatic polymers , proton exchange membrane , fuel cell , blends , composites