Composite Electrolyte Membrane for Piercing-Resistant Flow Batteries
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing polymer electrolyte membranes (PEMs) in electrochemical devices face challenges with low piercing resistance, leading to potential electrical shorting and reduced device lifetime.
Innovation Solution
A composite electrolyte membrane is developed, comprising a reinforced polymer electrolyte membrane with a microporous polymer structure and ion exchange material, combined with a plurality of porous layers on opposing surfaces, enhancing piercing resistance without increasing ion exchange material usage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If polymer electrolyte membrane thickness is reduced to lower cost and increase ion conductance, then manufacturing cost decreases and proton conduction improves, but piercing resistance deteriorates and mechanical durability worsens
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies composite materials by combining a thin polymer electrolyte membrane with a porous reinforcement layer to create a composite structure that provides both low ion exchange material usage and high piercing resistance. The reinforcement layer acts as a structural support that compensates for the reduced thickness of the ion exchange membrane.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes porous materials by incorporating a porous reinforcement layer with controlled porosity (30-80%). This porous structure provides mechanical strength and piercing resistance while allowing ion transport, thus maintaining the functionality of the membrane while improving its mechanical durability.
2Ease of manufacture
If polymer electrolyte membrane is made thinner to reduce cost, then manufacturing cost decreases, but susceptibility to damage or puncture increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a composite structure combining a thin, low-cost polymer electrolyte membrane with a porous reinforcement layer. This composite design maintains manufacturing cost benefits while significantly improving resistance to damage and puncture through the reinforcement provided by the porous layer.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies beforehand cushioning by pre-installing a porous reinforcement layer on or within the polymer electrolyte membrane before the membrane is subjected to operational stresses. This reinforcement layer acts as a protective cushion that prevents damage and puncture during device assembly and operation.
3Ease of manufacture
If fibrous electrode layers are compressed against polymer electrolyte membrane during device assembly, then device assembly is completed, but membrane piercing occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies beforehand cushioning by incorporating a porous reinforcement layer that serves as a protective barrier between the fibrous electrode layers and the polymer electrolyte membrane during compression in device assembly. This reinforcement layer absorbs the compressive stress and prevents direct contact that would cause membrane piercing.
Solution Approach 2:
The porous reinforcement layer acts as an intermediary between the fibrous electrode layers and the polymer electrolyte membrane. During device assembly, this intermediary layer distributes and absorbs the compression force, preventing the fibrous material from directly piercing the membrane while still allowing the device to be properly assembled.
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 composite membrane achieves improved resistance to piercing and electrical shorting, maintaining low proton sheet resistance and extending the lifetime of electrochemical devices.
Implementation Method 1
They are semipermeable membranes made from an ion exchange material, such as ionomers which are polymers which contain covalently bonded pendant ionized units. PEMs are designed to conduct ions such as protons
Implementation Method 2
Each cell of the stack comprises an anode, a cathode and an ion exchange membrane separator (such as a polymer electrolyte membrane) to allow the selective diffusion of ions (e.g. protons) across the membrane separator while preventing the cross-mixing of the electrolyte solutions from the two reservoirs
Data Source
AI summary
There is provided a composite electrolyte membrane for an electrochemical device, comprising at least one reinforced polymer electrolyte membrane having a first surface and an opposing second surface. The reinforced polymer electrolyte membrane comprises a microporous polymer structure and an ion exchange material, in which the ion exchange material is at least partially embedded within the microporous polymer structure to render the microporous polymer structure occlusive. The composite electrolyte membrane further comprises a plurality of porous layers comprising a first porous layer and a second porous layer, in which the first porous layer is adjacent to the first surface of the first reinforced polymer electrolyte and the second porous layer is adjacent to the second surface of the reinforced polymer electrolyte. Also disclosed is a membrane electrode assembly comprising such a composite electrolyte membrane and a redox flow battery, fuel cell, and electrolyzer comprising such a membrane electrode assembly.