Grant: Alliance Grants

While proton exchange membrane fuel cells are a promising alternative to internal combustion engines, their insufficient performance and durability continue to hinder their wider adoption. One of the main contributors to the insufficiencies is the ionomer, an ion-conducting binder material that binds the catalyst particles. While these ionomers are responsible for effective delivery of protons and oxygen to the catalyst surface, these ionomer layers have poor transport properties (such as oxygen diffusivity and ionic conductivity) that leads to poor performance and durability. Despite the importance, ionomer films and their effect remain poorly understood. In the proposed research, we would like to develop a novel platform, termed Electrode Ionomer Network (EIN), that allows characterization of ionomer film properties and mimics the ionomer network of a real electrode. We propose collaborating with Prof. Litster's group; they possess world-class X-ray nano-computed tomography capabilities that enable three-dimensional characterization of electrode materials for fuel cells. The results will inform design strategies for developing EINs that are closely representative of real electrode materials for fuel cells.