Collaborative Project 2: Polymer Electrolyte Membranes for Use in Fuel Cells
Bryan Coughlin (Polymer Science & Engineering) and Mark Tuominen (Physics) 

The increasing demand for cleaner, more efficient and environmentally friendly power generation has stimulated the development of new energy sources as alternatives to fossil fuels. Among these alternatives, fuel cells have received considerable attention because of their high efficiency, high power density and pollution free fuel use. Polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) are an attractive power source for vehicles and portable electronic devices due to their high power density and relatively low operating temperature. One of the main challenges that PEMFCs face in order to become viable power sources is the development of better-performing, more cost-effective materials.

Preliminary results from the Coughlin group show that certain pendant groups can improve polymer conductivity, in addition to improving other properties necessary for fuel cell applications. Tuominen's group has developed techniques for characterizing and modeling the electrical properties of polymeric proton conductors as a function of temperature. This provides insight to the underlying mechanisms of proton transport in the new materials synthesized by the Coughlin group.

Optimizing polymers for PEMs: An REU student working in the Coughlin group will be involved in the synthesis of a series of monomers and polymers that systematically varies the pendant groups, using general approaches already developed.

Characterizing proton transport materials: An REU student working in the Tuominen group will learn the use of impedance spectroscopy instrumentation to determine proton conductivity of various polymeric materials. This experimental research is part of a "experimental research informatics" approach developed by the Tuominen group, to use custom software to help evaluate many different types of samples automatically and simultaneously, and to enable the use of data mining techniques to guide development towards higher-performance proton conducting materials.

Collaborative effort: The two REU students will collaborate to prepare membranes that incorporate the optimized polymers. Students will evaluate the conductivity and proton-transport ability of their membranes, thereby gaining insight into the microscopic mechanisms of proton conduction in polymer electrolytes.

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