Novel asymmetric anion-exchange membranes for fuel cells

• Grant number: 22/07786-9
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: April 01, 2023
• End date: March 31, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Chemistry - Physical-Chemistry
• Agreement: M-ERA.NET
• Principal Investigator: Elisabete Inacio Santiago
• Grantee: Elisabete Inacio Santiago
• Principal researcher abroad: Dario R Dekel
• Institution abroad: Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Israel
• Principal researcher abroad: Sandrine Lyonnard
• Institution abroad: Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives, Grenoble (CEA), France
• Host Institution: Instituto de Pesquisas Energéticas e Nucleares (IPEN). Secretaria de Desenvolvimento Econômico (São Paulo - Estado). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant(s): 24/02220-2 - Development of Raman/AFM/TERS methodology for ionomeric and microstructural characterization of asymmetric anion exchange membranes for fuel cell applications, AP.R
• Associated scholarship(s): 24/01763-2 - Novel asymmetric anion-exchange membranes for fuel cells, BP.TT

Abstract

The Need for fuel cell technologies has been identified as being essential in order to meet Europe's and Asia's energy, environmental and economic challenges in transportation and energy applications. It has been recognized that fuel cells have a major role in the transformation to a future low carbon economy(1), being an important pillar of the Strategic Energy Technologies Plan (SET) Plan(2,3), adopted by the European Council(4). Today's state-of-the-art fuel cells, the proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs), have already demonstrated technology maturity. However, despite all the research efforts, PEMFCs require expensive and scarce precious metals like platinum, which are considered critical raw materials for EU(5) and the USA. AEMFCs are a blooming fuel cell technology that promises to replace PEMFC in the future, as it allows the use of affordable, precious metal-free materials to convert chemical energy into green electricity. In addition to this main advantage, AEMFCs also allow a wide choice of fuels, e.g. H2, ammonia, urea, and other environmentally friendly nitrogen-based fuels. However, the AEMFC development is significantly handicapped by the anion exchange membrane (AEM) decomposition during cell operation(6, 7). In order for the AEMFCs to become commercially available, a new approach should be used to develop the next generation of AEMs with significantly higher chemical stability. NAMEAS (Novel asymmetric anion-exchange membranes for fuel cells) will target to develop a novel, highly stable asymmetric anion-exchange membranes for AEMFCs, in order to allow this technology to reach its full potential as energy converting device. (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

BARBOSA, ANDREY S.; BIANCOLLI, ANA LAURA G.; SANTOS, BIANCA P. S.; BONVENT, JEAN-JACQUES; HERMIDA-MERINO, DANIEL; SANTIAGO, ELISABETE I.. Advancements in radiation-induced grafted anion-exchange membranes: Controlling pre-irradiation parameters of high-density polyethylene for enhanced fuel cell performance and durability. REACTIVE & FUNCTIONAL POLYMERS, v. 208, p. 12-pg., 2025-01-16. (19/26955-3, 22/07786-9, 24/01763-2, 17/11937-4)

DA SILVA, RODRIGO PIRES; DE MATOS, BRUNO RIBEIRO; FONSECA, FABIO CORAL; SANTIAGO, ELISABETE INACIO. Optimized Interfaces for PBI-Based High-Temperature Direct Ethanol Fuel Cells. ACS APPLIED ENERGY MATERIALS, v. 7, n. 18, p. 10-pg., 2024-09-02. (22/07786-9, 17/11937-4)