The Effect of Salty Environments on the Degradation Behavior and Mechanical Properties of Nafion Membranes

The application of proton-exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) in maritime transportation is currently the spotlight due to stringent emissions regulations and establishment a carbon trading system. However, salt marine environment can accelerate degradation membranes (PEM), which are core component PEMFCs. In this study, effect NaCl concentration temperature on Nafion, benchmark PEMFC membrane, was analyzed ex situ by accelerated using Fenton’s test. properties were studied mass change, fluoride ion emission, FTIR spectroscopy, tensile results showed that Nafion increased with increase concentration. Further studies revealed produces C=O bonds during process. Additionally, it found sodium ions replace hydrogen degraded fragments based analysis weight rate substitution increases increasing temperature. A better understanding behavior salty environments will lead advanced manufacturing PEM for applications PEMFCs transportation.