Next Article in Journal
Biofouling of Water Treatment Membranes: A Review of the Underlying Causes, Monitoring Techniques and Control Measures
Next Article in Special Issue
U.S. DOE Progress Towards Developing Low-Cost, High Performance, Durable Polymer Electrolyte Membranes for Fuel Cell Applications
Previous Article in Journal
Validation and Analysis of Forward Osmosis CFD Model in Complex 3D Geometries
Previous Article in Special Issue
A Review of RedOx Cycling of Solid Oxide Fuel Cells Anode
Article

Microscopic Analysis of Current and Mechanical Properties of Nafion® Studied by Atomic Force Microscopy

1
University of Applied Sciences Esslingen, Kanalstrasse 33, Esslingen 73728, Germany
2
German Aerospace Center, Institute of Technical Thermodynamics, Pfaffenwaldring 38-40, Stuttgart 70569, Germany
3
Institute for Thermodynamics and Thermal Engineering, University of Stuttgart, Stuttgart 70550, Germany
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Membranes 2012, 2(4), 783-803; https://doi.org/10.3390/membranes2040783
Received: 9 July 2012 / Revised: 3 October 2012 / Accepted: 31 October 2012 / Published: 16 November 2012
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Membranes for Electrochemical Energy Applications)
The conductivity of fuel cell membranes as well as their mechanical properties at the nanometer scale were characterized using advanced tapping mode atomic force microscopy (AFM) techniques. AFM produces high-resolution images under continuous current flow of the conductive structure at the membrane surface and provides some insight into the bulk conducting network in Nafion membranes. The correlation of conductivity with other mechanical properties, such as adhesion force, deformation and stiffness, were simultaneously measured with the current and provided an indication of subsurface phase separations and phase distribution at the surface of the membrane. The distribution of conductive pores at the surface was identified by the formation of water droplets. A comparison of nanostructure models with high-resolution current images is discussed in detail. View Full-Text
Keywords: Nafion; AFM; current; adhesion; stiffness; nanostructure; model Nafion; AFM; current; adhesion; stiffness; nanostructure; model
Show Figures

Graphical abstract

MDPI and ACS Style

Hiesgen, R.; Helmly, S.; Galm, I.; Morawietz, T.; Handl, M.; Friedrich, K.A. Microscopic Analysis of Current and Mechanical Properties of Nafion® Studied by Atomic Force Microscopy. Membranes 2012, 2, 783-803. https://doi.org/10.3390/membranes2040783

AMA Style

Hiesgen R, Helmly S, Galm I, Morawietz T, Handl M, Friedrich KA. Microscopic Analysis of Current and Mechanical Properties of Nafion® Studied by Atomic Force Microscopy. Membranes. 2012; 2(4):783-803. https://doi.org/10.3390/membranes2040783

Chicago/Turabian Style

Hiesgen, Renate, Stefan Helmly, Ines Galm, Tobias Morawietz, Michael Handl, and K. A. Friedrich 2012. "Microscopic Analysis of Current and Mechanical Properties of Nafion® Studied by Atomic Force Microscopy" Membranes 2, no. 4: 783-803. https://doi.org/10.3390/membranes2040783

Find Other Styles

Article Access Map by Country/Region

1
Only visits after 24 November 2015 are recorded.
Back to TopTop