US 2008/0176126 A1 · ELECTROLYTE MEMBRANE COMPRISING NANOCOMPOSITE ION COMPLEX, MANUFACTURING METHOD THEREOF, AND FUEL CELL INCLUDING THE SAME

Abstract

An electrolyte membrane includes a nanocomposite ion complex that is a reaction product of a nanocomposite with a basic polymer. The nanocomposite includes a polymer having a sulfonic acid group and an unmodified clay. Either the unmodified clay has a layered structure and is dispersed in the polymer having the sulfonic acid group, and the polymer is intercalated between layers of the clay or the unmodified clay has an exfoliated structure and the exfoliated layers of the unmodified clay are dispersed in the polymer. The electrolyte membrane shows high mechanical strength, high ionic conductivity, and excellent methanol crossover impeding properties even when the degree of sulfonation of the polymer having the sulfonic acid group is high. When a methanol aqueous solution is used as a fuel, the fuel cell including the electrolyte membrane has a low methanol crossover, and thus, has a high operational efficiency and a long lifetime.

Claims37

Dependent claims

An electrolyte membrane comprising a nanocomposite ion complex that is a reaction product of a nanocomposite and a basic polymer, the nanocomposite comprising a polymer having a sulfonic acid group and an unmodified clay dispersed in the polymer having the sulfonic acid group, wherein either the unmodified clay has a layered structure and the polymer having the sulfonic acid group is intercalated between layers of the clay or the unmodified clay has an exfoliated structure and exfoliated layers of the unmodified clay are dispersed in the polymer having the sulfonic acid group.

A method of preparing an electrolyte membrane, the method comprising:

performing polymerization by heat treating a mixture of an unmodified clay, a first polymerizable monomer for forming a sulfonated polysulfone, a second polymerizable monomer for forming a sulfonated polysulfone, and a diol compound in a solvent to obtain a nanocomposite dissolved in the solvent;
and
mixing the nanocomposite dissolved in the solvent with a basic polymer and coating the resultant mixture onto a support to form the electrolyte membrane.

A method of preparing an electrolyte membrane, the method comprising:

performing condensation polymerization by heat treating a mixture of a first polymerizable monomer for forming a sulfonated polysulfone, a second polymerizable monomer for forming a sulfonated polysulfone, and a diol compound in a solvent;
adding an unmodified clay into the resultant product of the condensation polymerization to obtain a nanocomposite dissolved in the solvent;
and
mixing the nanocomposite dissolved in the solvent with a basic polymer and then coating the resultant mixture onto a support to form the electrolyte membrane.

1 more element

A method of preparing an electrolyte membrane, the method comprising:

dissolving a sulfonated polysulfone in a solvent to prepare a sulfonated polysulfone solution;
dispersing clay into a dispersion medium to obtain a clay dispersion solution;
mixing the sulfonated polysulfone solution with the clay dispersion solution to obtain a first mixture;
and
mixing the first mixture with a basic polymer to obtain a resultant mixture and coating the resultant mixture onto a support, thereby forming an electrolyte membrane.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Electrolyte membrane comprising nanocomposite ion complex, manufacturing method thereof, and fuel cell including the same

Life of this patent

Electrolyte membrane comprising nanocomposite ion complex, manufacturing method thereof, and fuel cell including the same

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims37