Radically Coarse-Grained Approach to the Modeling of Chemical Degradation in Fuel Cell Ionomers

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Abstract

We present a kinetic model of chemical degradation in perfluorosulfonic acid ionomer membranes. It accounts for pathways of radical formation along with mechanisms of ionomer degradation through radical attack. Simplifications in the set of model equations leads to analytical expressions for the concentration of hydroxyl radicals as a function of initial concentrations of iron ions and hydrogen peroxide. The coarse-grained ionomer degradation model distinguishes units that correspond to ionomer head groups, trunk segments of ionomer side chains, and backbone segments between two side chains. A set of differential equations is formulated to describe changes in concentrations of these units. The model is used to study the impact of different degradation mechanisms and ionomer chemistries on fluorine loss and change in ion exchange capacity. Comparison of the model with experimental degradation data for Nafion and Aquivion membranes allows rate constants of degradation processes to be determined. Results of these analyses are discussed in view of strategies to mitigate chemical degradation of ionomer membranes.

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