Nonhumidified Intermediate Temperature Fuel Cells Using Protic Ionic Liquids

Abstract

In this paper, the characterization of a protic ionic liquid, diethylmethylammonium trifluoromethanesulfonate ([dema][TfO]), as a proton conductor for a fuel cell and the fabrication of a membrane-type fuel cell system using [dema][TfO] under nonhumidified conditions at intermediate temperatures are described in detail. In terms of physicochemical and electrochemical properties, [dema][TfO] exhibits high activity for fuel cell electrode reactions (i.e., the hydrogen oxidation reaction (HOR) and oxygen reduction reaction (ORR)) at a Pt electrode, and the open circuit voltage (OCV) of a liquid fuel cell is 1.03 V at 150 °C, as has reported in ref 27. However, diethylmethylammonium bis(trifluoromethane sulfonyl)amide ([dema][NTf2]) has relatively low HOR and ORR activity, and thus, the OCV is ca. 0.7 V, although [dema][NTf2] and [dema][TfO] have an identical cation ([dema]) and similar thermal and bulk-transport properties. Proton conduction occurs mainly via the vehicle mechanism in [dema][TfO] and the proton transference number (t+) is 0.5−0.6. This relatively low t+ appears to be more disadvantageous for a proton conductor than for other electrolytes such as hydrated sulfonated polymer electrolyte membranes (t+ = 1.0). However, fast proton-exchange reactions occur between ammonium cations and amines in a model compound. This indicates that the proton-exchange mechanism contributes to the fuel cell system under operation, where deprotonated amines are continuously generated by the cathodic reaction, and that polarization of the cell is avoided. Six-membered sulfonated polyimides in the diethylmethylammonium form exhibit excellent compatibility with [dema][TfO]. The composite membranes can be obtained up to a [dema][TfO] content of 80 wt % and exhibit good thermal stability, high ionic conductivity, and mechanical strength and gas permeation comparable to those of hydrated Nafion. H2/O2 fuel cells prepared using the composite membranes can successfully operate at temperatures from 30 to 140 °C under nonhumidified conditions, and a current density of 250 mA cm−2 is achieved at 120 °C. The protic ionic liquid and its composite membrane are a possible candidate for an electrolyte of a H2/O2 fuel cell that operates under nonhumidified conditions