Composite Electrolyte Membrane for Proton Conduction and Dry-Wet Durability

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional composite electrolyte membranes made of hydrocarbon polymer and PTFE porous substrates face issues such as low affinity between materials, leading to structural problems like pore generation, low polymer electrolyte ratio, and poor dry-wet cycle durability and power generation performance.

Innovation Solution

A composite electrolyte membrane with a fractal dimension of 1.7 or more, comprising a hydrocarbon polymer electrolyte and a fluorine-containing polymer porous substrate, where the substrate is impregnated with a solution containing a fluorinated surfactant or polyvinylidene fluoride, enhancing the affinity and mechanical strength, and the membrane is produced using a method involving impregnation and solvent removal steps.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If a hydrocarbon polymer electrolyte is used instead of Nafion to reduce cost, then manufacturing cost is reduced, but the membrane undergoes large dimension change during dry-wet cycles, reducing durability

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemanufacturing costVSAvoiddry-wet cycle durability

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines hydrocarbon polymer electrolyte with PTFE porous substrate to create a composite membrane. The PTFE substrate provides dimensional stability during dry-wet cycles while the hydrocarbon polymer electrolyte maintains proton conductivity and reduces cost compared to Nafion.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

2Reliability

If a PTFE porous substrate is combined with hydrocarbon polymer electrolyte to inhibit dimension change, then dry-wet cycle durability is improved, but the materials have low affinity making composite formation difficult

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedimensional stabilityVSAvoidcomposite formation ease

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses an aprotic polar solvent as an intermediary to enable impregnation of the PTFE porous substrate with hydrocarbon polymer electrolyte. The solvent facilitates penetration into the PTFE pores and enables uniform distribution of the electrolyte within the substrate structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Device complexity

If conventional composite electrolyte membrane is produced with low affinity materials, then manufacturing complexity is reduced, but structural problems occur such as pore generation and fiber aggregation

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveproduction process complexityVSAvoidcomposite layer structure quality

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent controls the fractal dimension parameter of the composite layer to be 1.7 or more, which ensures uniform distribution and intimate contact between PTFE fibers and hydrocarbon polymer electrolyte. This parameter control prevents pore generation and fiber aggregation while maintaining a relatively simple production process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The solution provides a composite electrolyte membrane with high proton conduction ability and improved dry-wet cycle durability, enabling long-term continuous operation of polymer electrolyte fuel cells with enhanced power generation characteristics.

Implementation Method 1

a fractal dimension D exhibiting a distribution of a hydrocarbon polymer electrolyte and a fluorine-containing polymer porous substrate in a composite layer is 1.7 or more

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectSurfactant: Surfactant

Implementation Method 2

the substrate is impregnated with a solution containing a fluorinated surfactant or polyvinylidene fluoride, enhancing the affinity and mechanical strength

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectAdsorption: Adsorption

Implementation Method 3

a composite electrolyte membrane having a composite layer that is a composite of a hydrocarbon polymer electrolyte and a fluorine-containing polymer porous substrate

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectProton conduction: Conduction (electrical)

Implementation Method 4

the membrane is produced using a method involving impregnation and solvent removal steps

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectEvaporation: Evaporation

Data Source

PatentUS12199324B2Composite electrolyte membrane, electrolyte membrane having catalyst layer attached thereto, membrane-electrode composite, solid polymer-type fuel cell, and method for producing composite electrolyte membrane

Publication Date: 2025.01.14 TORAY INDUSTRIES INC

AI summary

A composite electrolyte membrane having a composite layer that is a composite of a hydrocarbon polymer electrolyte and a fluorine-containing polymer porous substrate, wherein a fractal dimension D exhibiting the distribution of the hydrocarbon polymer electrolyte and the fluorine-containing polymer porous substrate in the composite layer is 1.7 or more. An object of the present invention is to enable a composite electrolyte membrane composed of a hydrocarbon polymer electrolyte and a fluorine-containing polymer porous substrate to achieve high proton conduction ability and high mechanical durability.