Fully Hydrocarbon Membrane Electrode Assemblies for Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells and Electrolyzers: An Engineering Perspective

Perfluorinated-sulfonic-acid-based ionomers (PFSAs) are still the material of choice for electrochemical energy devices such as proton-exchange membrane fuel cells or water electrolyzers. However, PFSAs show significant drawbacks ranging from a restricted temperature window operation due to insufficient thermomechanical stability, high cost, and questionable environmental properties. Recently, novel hydrocarbon-based have been introduced, which not only potential overcome these limitations, but also first time promising performance, approaching that PFSA-based This article summarizes recent developments in this emerging field with particular focus on engineering membrane-electrode assemblies polymer electrolytes. In final part, necessary key innovations discussed, required hydrocarbon replace electrolyzers future.