Elucidating Cation Transport Properties in Nafion Membranes and Electrode Ionomer Network via X-ray Fluorescence Imaging.

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Title: Elucidating Cation Transport Properties in Nafion Membranes and Electrode Ionomer Network via X-ray Fluorescence Imaging.
Authors: Lee, Andre P. C.1 (AUTHOR), Aziz, Fatima1 (AUTHOR), Karimian Bahnamiri, Fazele1 (AUTHOR), Korbas, Malgorzata2 (AUTHOR), Bondici, Viorica F.2 (AUTHOR), Jankovic, Jasna3 (AUTHOR), Lee, ChungHyuk1 (AUTHOR) chunghyuk.lee@torontomu.ca
Source: Journal of The Electrochemical Society. Jun2025, Vol. 172 Issue 6, p1-9. 9p.
Subjects: Electrodes in proton exchange membrane fuel cells, X-ray fluorescence, X-ray imaging, Ionomers, Nafion, Diffusion coefficients
Abstract: Membranes and electrode ionomers in proton exchange membrane fuel cells are prone to cation contamination, leading to a reduction in performance. Despite the importance, the characteristics of cation mobility within membranes and ionomer thin films remain poorly understood. Here, we investigate Co2+ transport properties in membranes and electrode ionomers using synchrotron X-ray fluorescence imaging. Specifically, the samples are doped with a controlled Co2+ exchange and the samples are subsequently subject to hydrogen pump operation under fixed humidity and potential gradient. A 1-D model is developed based on the Nernst-Planck relation, which predicts the diffusion and mobility coefficients of Co2+. We also develop a characterization platform, termed Electrode Ionomer Network (EIN), for studying cation transport properties in electrode ionomers that are inherently tortuous and non-uniform. We observe that an increase in relatively humidity from 40 to 75% increases both the diffusion and mobility in Nafion membranes (by factors of 2.2 and 7.1, respectively), determined via fitting the Nernst-Planck relation to our experimental data. Despite the identical humidity conditions, Co2+ become less mobile in EINs relative to membrane (lower by 67% and 44% for diffusivity and mobility, respectively), which are attributed to confinement effects, and the tortuous and disconnected ionomer network in the electrode. Our results provide insights that can help predict cation concentration distributions across membrane-electrode assemblies for hydrogen fuel cell applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Journal of The Electrochemical Society is the property of IOP Publishing and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
Database: Engineering Source
FullText Text:
  Availability: 0
Header DbId: egs
DbLabel: Engineering Source
An: 185995041
AccessLevel: 6
PubType: Academic Journal
PubTypeId: academicJournal
PreciseRelevancyScore: 0
IllustrationInfo
Items – Name: Title
  Label: Title
  Group: Ti
  Data: Elucidating Cation Transport Properties in Nafion Membranes and Electrode Ionomer Network via X-ray Fluorescence Imaging.
– Name: Author
  Label: Authors
  Group: Au
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Lee%2C+Andre+P%2E+C%2E%22">Lee, Andre P. C.</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Aziz%2C+Fatima%22">Aziz, Fatima</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Karimian+Bahnamiri%2C+Fazele%22">Karimian Bahnamiri, Fazele</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Korbas%2C+Malgorzata%22">Korbas, Malgorzata</searchLink><relatesTo>2</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Bondici%2C+Viorica+F%2E%22">Bondici, Viorica F.</searchLink><relatesTo>2</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Jankovic%2C+Jasna%22">Jankovic, Jasna</searchLink><relatesTo>3</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Lee%2C+ChungHyuk%22">Lee, ChungHyuk</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<i> chunghyuk.lee@torontomu.ca</i>
– Name: TitleSource
  Label: Source
  Group: Src
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Journal+of+The+Electrochemical+Society%22">Journal of The Electrochemical Society</searchLink>. Jun2025, Vol. 172 Issue 6, p1-9. 9p.
– Name: Subject
  Label: Subjects
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Electrodes+in+proton+exchange+membrane+fuel+cells%22">Electrodes in proton exchange membrane fuel cells</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22X-ray+fluorescence%22">X-ray fluorescence</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22X-ray+imaging%22">X-ray imaging</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Ionomers%22">Ionomers</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Nafion%22">Nafion</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Diffusion+coefficients%22">Diffusion coefficients</searchLink>
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: Membranes and electrode ionomers in proton exchange membrane fuel cells are prone to cation contamination, leading to a reduction in performance. Despite the importance, the characteristics of cation mobility within membranes and ionomer thin films remain poorly understood. Here, we investigate Co2+ transport properties in membranes and electrode ionomers using synchrotron X-ray fluorescence imaging. Specifically, the samples are doped with a controlled Co2+ exchange and the samples are subsequently subject to hydrogen pump operation under fixed humidity and potential gradient. A 1-D model is developed based on the Nernst-Planck relation, which predicts the diffusion and mobility coefficients of Co2+. We also develop a characterization platform, termed Electrode Ionomer Network (EIN), for studying cation transport properties in electrode ionomers that are inherently tortuous and non-uniform. We observe that an increase in relatively humidity from 40 to 75% increases both the diffusion and mobility in Nafion membranes (by factors of 2.2 and 7.1, respectively), determined via fitting the Nernst-Planck relation to our experimental data. Despite the identical humidity conditions, Co2+ become less mobile in EINs relative to membrane (lower by 67% and 44% for diffusivity and mobility, respectively), which are attributed to confinement effects, and the tortuous and disconnected ionomer network in the electrode. Our results provide insights that can help predict cation concentration distributions across membrane-electrode assemblies for hydrogen fuel cell applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
– Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright
  Label:
  Group: Ab
  Data: <i>Copyright of Journal of The Electrochemical Society is the property of IOP Publishing and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=egs&AN=185995041
RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Identifiers:
      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1149/1945-7111/addd6a
    Languages:
      – Code: eng
        Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 9
        StartPage: 1
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Electrodes in proton exchange membrane fuel cells
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: X-ray fluorescence
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: X-ray imaging
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Ionomers
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Nafion
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Diffusion coefficients
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Elucidating Cation Transport Properties in Nafion Membranes and Electrode Ionomer Network via X-ray Fluorescence Imaging.
        Type: main
  BibRelationships:
    HasContributorRelationships:
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Lee, Andre P. C.
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Aziz, Fatima
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Karimian Bahnamiri, Fazele
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Korbas, Malgorzata
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Bondici, Viorica F.
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Jankovic, Jasna
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Lee, ChungHyuk
    IsPartOfRelationships:
      – BibEntity:
          Dates:
            – D: 01
              M: 06
              Text: Jun2025
              Type: published
              Y: 2025
          Identifiers:
            – Type: issn-print
              Value: 00134651
          Numbering:
            – Type: volume
              Value: 172
            – Type: issue
              Value: 6
          Titles:
            – TitleFull: Journal of The Electrochemical Society
              Type: main
ResultId 1