Polybenzimidazole/strontium cerate nanocomposites with enhanced proton conductivity for proton exchange membrane fuel cells operating at high temperature

Abstract In this work, perovskite-type SrCeO 3 nanoparticles were used for improving the properties of high temperature polybenzimodazole (PBI) based proton exchange membranes. Novel proton conducting membrane nanocomposites were prepared using different amounts of SrCeO 3 nanopowders dispersed into by solution casting method.The nanocomposite membranes were studied by using AC impedance spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy dispersive X-ray and thermo gravimetric analysis. The prepared nanocomposite membranes showed a higher acid uptake, proton conductivity and thermal stability compared with the pure PBI membranes. The highest acid uptake (190%) and proton conductivity (0.105 S/cm at 180 °C and 0% RH) were observed for phosphoric acide-dopped PBI nanocomposite membranes containing 8 wt% of SrCeO 3 nanoparticles (PSC 8 ). The PSC 8 nanocomposite membranes were tested in a fuel cell and the polarization and power curves were obtained at different temperatures. The PSC 8 showed 0.44 W/cm 2 power density and 0.88 A /  cm 2 current density in 0.5 V at 180 °C. The result obtained from our studies shows the enhanced potential of the PSC 8 as proton exchange membranes for high temperature proton exchange membrane fuel cells.