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Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cells: Technology and Applications

A special issue of Polymers (ISSN 2073-4360). This special issue belongs to the section "Polymer Membranes and Films".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 July 2025) | Viewed by 7524

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Universidad Politécnica de Cartagena, 30203 Cartagena, Spain
Interests: fuel cells; catalyst deposition; electrospray; gas diffusion layer technology; electrolyzers
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Fuel cell technology is an efficient means of converting chemical energy into electricity with exceptionally high performance. There is significant anticipation surrounding this technology due to its promising applications across a wide range of fields, from hydrogen fuel cell-powered cars to naval applications. Numerous research groups are dedicated to developing critical components of fuel cells, such as:

  • Enhanced proton electrolyte membranes;
  • Improved and cost-effective catalysts;
  • Innovative techniques for catalyst deposition;
  • New gas diffusion layers that boost durability and performance;
  • Advanced materials for manufacturing bipolar plates, which enhance the performance of these electrochemical devices;
  • Novel designs for the plates used in fuel cells.

In this context, this Special Issue is devoted to showcasing the most significant developments in these critical components of fuel cells. It will highlight the most optimized designs, new algorithms for enhancing performance in varying environments, new applications, and infrastructure development for integrating this technology into our society as an alternative to standard batteries.

We invite you to contribute to this Special Issue with your latest research and insights.

Best regards,
Prof. Dr. José Javier López Cascales
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

  • fuel cells
  • proton electrolyte membranes
  • gas diffusion layers
  • bipolar plate materials
  • fuel designs
  • optimization algorithms
  • applications

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

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19 pages, 10057 KiB  
Article
Investigations of the Sulfonated Poly(ether ether ketone) Membranes with Various Degrees of Sulfonation by Considering Durability for the Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell (PEMFC) Applications
by Yinfeng Song, Zhenshuo Guo, Jiayi Yin, Mengjie Liu, Ivan Tolj, Sergey A. Grigoriev, Mingming Ge and Chuanyu Sun
Polymers 2025, 17(16), 2181; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym17162181 - 9 Aug 2025
Viewed by 336
Abstract
The optimum degree of sulfonation (DS) for sulfonated poly(ether ether ketone) (SPEEK) membranes is determined by comprehensive characterization results, including proton conductivity, swelling ratio, water uptake, chemical stability, thermal stability, mechanical indicators, and proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) performance. The PEMFC with [...] Read more.
The optimum degree of sulfonation (DS) for sulfonated poly(ether ether ketone) (SPEEK) membranes is determined by comprehensive characterization results, including proton conductivity, swelling ratio, water uptake, chemical stability, thermal stability, mechanical indicators, and proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) performance. The PEMFC with a membrane electrode assembly containing a SPEEK-62 (DS = 62%) membrane realizes the power density of 482.08 mW/cm2, surpassing that of commercial Nafion-212 under identical conditions. In the crucial Fenton test for durability, the SPEEK-51 membrane demonstrated outstanding dimensional and chemical stability, with a decomposition time of up to 137 min, far surpassing the durability of SPEEK-62 or other membranes with a higher DS. The results indicate that in comparison to the SPEEK-67 membrane as reported in the literature, SPEEK membranes with a DS = 51~62% hold great potential for future applications in PEMFC, and further modifications of these membranes can be a promising approach to enhance the conductivity while maintaining good chemical stability. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cells: Technology and Applications)
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Review

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45 pages, 18357 KiB  
Review
Advances in the Application of Sulfonated Poly(Ether Ether Ketone) (SPEEK) and Its Organic Composite Membranes for Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells (PEMFCs)
by Xiang Li, Tengling Ye, Xuan Meng, Dongqing He, Lu Li, Kai Song, Jinhai Jiang and Chuanyu Sun
Polymers 2024, 16(19), 2840; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym16192840 - 8 Oct 2024
Cited by 36 | Viewed by 6669
Abstract
This review discusses the progress of research on sulfonated poly(ether ether ketone) (SPEEK) and its composite membranes in proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs). SPEEK is a promising material for replacing traditional perfluorosulfonic acid membranes due to its excellent thermal stability, mechanical property, [...] Read more.
This review discusses the progress of research on sulfonated poly(ether ether ketone) (SPEEK) and its composite membranes in proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs). SPEEK is a promising material for replacing traditional perfluorosulfonic acid membranes due to its excellent thermal stability, mechanical property, and tunable proton conductivity. By adjusting the degree of sulfonation (DS) of SPEEK, the hydrophilicity and proton conductivity of the membrane can be controlled, while also balancing its mechanical, thermal, and chemical stability. Researchers have developed various composite membranes by combining SPEEK with a range of organic and inorganic materials, such as polybenzimidazole (PBI), fluoropolymers, and silica, to enhance the mechanical, chemical, and thermal stability of the membranes, while reducing fuel permeability and improving the overall performance of the fuel cell. Despite the significant potential of SPEEK and its composite membranes in PEMFCs, there are still challenges and room for improvement, including proton conductivity, chemical stability, cost-effectiveness, and environmental impact assessments. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cells: Technology and Applications)
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