In this work, zirconium phosphate, MXene, and a hexyl-based ionic liquid were incorporated into a porous PTFE polymer to synthesize novel composite proton exchange membranes (PEM) for fuel cell applications. The synthesized composite membranes were evaluated for their conductivity at temperatures above the boiling point of water as well as their water uptake properties, thermal stability, surface morphology, and structural characteristics via several characterization techniques. It was observed that the inclusion of MXene had a direct impact on the thermal stability of these membranes and caused substantial structural modifications within the membrane’s matrix. The fabricated membranes displayed a high proton conductivity at room temperature, reaching a peak of approximately 10−2 S/cm when all materials were combined. The membranes exhibited good proton conductivity of 10−4 S/cm at high temperature ranges up to 145℃ and appeared to be stable at higher temperatures, as thermogravimetric analyses showed. The results reported here demonstrate the suitability of the MXene-based synthesized membranes for hydrogen-fueled PEM fuel cell applications. This, in turn, will contribute to enhanced energy efficiency and cleaner energy transition.

中文翻译：

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适用于工作温度高达 145°C 的 PEM 燃料电池的新型磷酸锆/MXene/离子液体膜


在这项工作中，将磷酸锆、MXene 和己基离子液体掺入多孔 PTFE 聚合物中，合成用于燃料电池应用的新型复合质子交换膜 (PEM)。通过多种表征技术评估了合成的复合膜在高于水沸点的温度下的电导率以及吸水性能、热稳定性、表面形态和结构特征。据观察，MXene 的加入对这些膜的热稳定性有直接影响，并导致膜基质内发生实质性的结构改变。所制造的膜在室温下表现出高质子电导率，当所有材料混合时达到约 10−2 S/cm 的峰值。热重分析显示，该膜在高达 145℃ 的高温范围内表现出 10−4 S/cm 的良好质子电导率，并且在更高温度下似乎稳定。本文报告的结果证明了基于 MXene 的合成膜适用于氢燃料 PEM 燃料电池应用。反过来，这将有助于提高能源效率和清洁能源转型。