Hydrogen isotope separation involves the separation of hydrogen, deuterium, tritium, and their isotopologues. It is an essential technology for removing radioactive tritium contamination and for obtaining valuable hydrogen isotope resources. Among various hydrogen isotope separation technologies, water electrolysis technology exhibits a high separation factor. Consequently, the electrolysis of tritiated water is of paramount importance as a tritium enrichment method for treating tritium-contaminated water and for analyzing tritium in environmental samples. More recently, hydroelectrolysis technology, which utilizes proton exchange membranes (PEM) to reduce water inventory, has gained favor over traditional alkaline hydroelectrolysis. Nevertheless, it is crucial to decrease the hydrogen permeability of the PEM in order to mitigate the explosion risk associated with tritium hydrogen electrolysis devices. Additionally, efforts are needed to enhance the hydrogen isotope selectivity of the PEM and optimize the manufacturing process of the membrane-electrode assembly (MEA), thereby improving both hydrogen isotope separation performance and water electrolysis efficiency. In this presentation, we will delve into two key aspects. Firstly, we’ll explore the reduction of hydrogen permeability and the enhancement of the hydrogen isotope separation factor in PEM through the incorporation of 2D nanomaterial additives. Secondly, we’ll examine the influence of various MEAs preparation methods on electrolysis and isotope separation performances. Lastly, we will discuss the effectiveness of the developed system in separating deuterium and tritium.

Proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) are an auspicious energy conversion technology with the potential to address rising energy demands while reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The stack’s performance, durability, and economy scale are greatly influenced by the materials used for the PEMFC, viz., the membrane electrocatalyst assembly (MEA) and bipolar flow plates (BPPs). Despite extensive study, carbon-based materials have outstanding physicochemical, electrical, and structural attributes crucial to stack performance, making them an excellent choice for PEMFC manufacturers. Carbon materials substantially impact the cost, performance, and durability of PEMFCs since they are prevalently sought for and widely employed in the construction of BPPs and gas diffusion layers (GDLs)) and in electrocatalysts as a support material. Consequently, it is essential to assemble a review that centers on utilizing such material potential, focusing on its research development, applications, problems, and future possibilities. The prime focus of this assessment is to offer a clear understanding of the potential roles of carbon and its allotropes in PEMFC applications. Consequently, this article comprehensively evaluates the applicability, functionality, recent advancements, and ambiguous concerns associated with carbonbased materials in PEMFCs.

현대에는 배터리를 비롯한 수소 기반 에너지가 효율적이라고 널리 알려져 있다.이러한 결과는 수소가 에너지 수 송체로써의 높은 효율을 가지고 있다는 사실로부터 기반한다. 자연 친화적이며 높은 순도를 가진 수소는 수전해로부터 제조 할 수 있다. 다양한 종류의 전기분해 중, 수소이온 교환막 수전해는 가장 재생 가능하며 싸고 자연 친화적이다. 이는 에너지 로써 사용이 되기에 적합한 산소와 수소를 생성한다. 이와 같이 많은 장점이 있기에 활발한 연구가 수소이온 교환막 전기분 해에 대해 진행되고 있다. 나피온은 수소이온 교환막으로 널리 쓰이지만, 비싼 비용과 다양한 다른 단점으로 인해 여러 가지 종류의 대체재가 개발되고 있다. 본 총설에서는 크게 나피온과 비나피온(non-Nafion) 기반 수소이온 교환막 수전해로 나누어 다루었다.

Polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFC) are considered as prospective energy conversion systems because of high efficiency and environmental advantage. However, the current PEMFC technology uses commercialized perfluorosulfonic acid (PFSA) polymers as a proton exchange membrane, which has the issues of high production cost, poor recyclability at intermediate temperature. In this study, We have synthesized a non-fluorinated hydrocarbon membrane. Also, non-fluorinated membrane has a symmetric chemical structure and sulfonated block copolymer was prepared and characterized using 1H-NMR, and the proton conductivity, ion exchange capacity (IEC), and water uptake. properties were evaluated. The synthesis, characteristic and fuel cell performance and newly prepared membrane will be discussed.

본 발표에서는 고분자막의 열화(Degradation)원인과 열화 조건, 열화방지 방법, 고분자막 내구성 평가 방법 등에 대해서 논의하고자 한다. PEMFC 고분자 막의 열화원인은 전기화학적인 열화를 포함한 화학적인 열화와 물리적인 열화, 열에 의한 열화로 분류할 수 있다. 고분자 막이 전기화학적열화가 잘되는 조건은 OCV와 같은 높은 전압, 저 가습, 고온, 높은 수소/산소 압력 조건이다. 고분 자막의 내구성을 평가하기 위해서 열화 가속화 기법을 사용하는데, 전기화학적 내구성은 OCV holding 기법을, 물리적 내구성은 Wet/Dry 기법을 일반적으로 사용한다. 이들 내구성 평가 방법에 관한 미국의 DOE 프로토콜과 일본의 NEDO 프로토콜을 비교 검토한다.

연구에서는 제조된 유무기 나노복합막의 치수안정성, 수소이온 전도능력 및 전기화학성능을 향상시키기 위하여 실리카 나노입자를 선정하였다. 이를 위하여, 소수성 실리카(Aerosil® 812, Degussa)와 친수성 실리카(Aerosil® 380, Degussa)를 각각 술폰화 폴리아릴렌 에테르 술폰(SPAES) 고분자 매트릭스에 도입하였다. 이들 실리카 입자들은 비이온성 분산제인(Pluronics® L64)을 사용함으로써 SPAES 매트릭스에 고르게 분산시킬 수 있었다. 실리카 함량은 최종 제조된 고분자의 미세 구조 및 특성에 중요한 영향을 미치게 된다. 따라서, 본 연구에서는 과량의 실리카가 도입된 나노 복합막의 특성을연구하기 위하여, 실리카의 함량을 5 wt%까지 증가시켰다. 이를 통하여 소수성 실리카가 포함된 나노복합막이 실리카가 도입되지 않은 SPAES막에 비하여, 더 낮은 수소이온 전도도에도 불구하고, 29% 더 높은 전기화학 성능을 나타내는 것을 관찰하였으며, 이는 같은 소수성을 가지고 있는 촉매층과의 접합성 향상에 따른 것으로 나타났다. 이외의 나머지 복합막들 또한실리카가 도입되지 않은 SPAES막에 비하여 높은 성능을 나타냈다.

The bipolar plate is the most important and most costly component of proton exchange membrane fuel cells. The development of a suitable low density bipolar plate is scientif-cally and technically challenging due to the need to maintain high electrical conductivity and mechanical properties. Here, bipolar plates were developed from different particle sizes of natural and expanded graphite with phenolic resin as a polymeric matrix. It was observed that the particle size of the reinforcement significantlyinfluencesthe mechanical and electri-cal properties of a composite bipolar plate. The composite bipolar plate based on expanded graphite gives the desired mechanical and electrical properties as per the US Department of Energy target, with a bulk density of 1.55 g.cm-3 as compared to that of ~1.87 g.cm-3 for a composite plate based on natural graphite (NG). Although the bulk density of the expanded-graphite-based composite plate is ~20% less than that of the NG-based plate, the I-V perfor-mance of the expanded graphite plate is superior to that of the NG plate as a consequence of the higher conductivity. The expanded graphite plate can thus be used as an electromagnetic interference shielding material.

Different oxidation treatments on CNTs using diluted 4.0 M H2SO4 solution at room temperature and or at 90℃ reflux conditions were investigated to elucidate the physical and chemical changes occurring on the treated CNTs, which might have significant effects on their performance as catalyst supports in PEM fuel cells. Raman spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscope analyses were made for the acid treated CNTs to determine the particle size and distribution of the CNT-supported Pt-Ru nanoparticles. These CNT-supported Pt-based nanoparticles were then employed as anode catalysts in PEMFC to investigate their catalytic activity and single-cell performance towards H2 oxidation. Based on PEMFC performance results, refluxed Pt-Ru/CNT catalysts prepared using CNTs treated at 90℃ for 0.5 h as anode have shown better catalytic activity and PEMFC polarization performance than those of the commercially available Pt-Ru/C catalyst from ETEK and other Pt-Ru/CNT catalysts developed using raw CNT, thus demonstrating the importance of acid treatment in improving and optimizing the surface properties of catalyst support.

본 연구는 직접메탄을 연료전지(Direct Methanol Fuel Cell)에 적용가능한 양이온교환막 개발에 관한 것으로 PVA/PAM/ZrP 막을 제조하여 PAM, ZrP의 함량 및 농도 변화에 따른 막의 특성을 연구하였다. PVA/PAM/ZrP 막은 PVA에 가교제인 PAM의 함량을 7∼11 wt%로 증가시켜 제조하였으며 그 각각의 막에 80℃에서 zirconyl chloride와 Phosphoric acid solution에 침적시켜 제조하였다. ZrP의 농도를 1, 2 M로 변화시켜 메탄을 투과도, 이온전도도, 함수율 및 이온교환용량을 측정하였다. PVA/PAM/ZrP 막의 메탄올 투과도는 10/-8∼l0-6 cm2/sec, 이온전도도는 10-3~10-2 S/cm 정도 나타내었으며 함수율은 0.26∼l.17 g H2O/g membrane, 이온교환용량은 2.59∼5.1 meq/g membrane의 결과를 보였는데 이는 PVA/PAM 막과 비교하여 메탄을 투과도, 이온전도도는 각각 18%, 23% 정도 증가한 것으로 관찰되었다.