Membranes and Electrochemical Cells
Our mission is to create innovation in the area of polymer electrolyte materials for electrochemical applications, notably fuel cells, electrolysis cells, and redox flow cells. We aim to prepare polymers with desired functionalities for the respective application and operating conditions, using commercially available and low-cost materials (base films, monomers and additives) and industrially viable processing techniques. Furthermore, we develop dedicated diagnostic methods to study limitations in cell performance and aging of materials and components.
Expertise
Research Team
Current group members:
- Lorenz Gubler, Head
- Alexander Muroyama, Ambizione Fellow
- Tamás Németh, Postdoctoral Research Fellow
- Davide Masiello, Postdoctoral Research Fellow
- Tym De Wild, PhD Student
- Jamie Duburg, PhD Student
- Zheyu Zhang, PhD Student
- Ángela Barros Fernández, visiting PhD student (Tekniker, Spain)
Open Positions
- Scientist: Next Generation Ionomers and Membranes (limited term contract, 3 years)
- PhD Student: Antioxidant strategies for anion exchange membranes
Projects
Project | Description | Duration | Contact |
---|---|---|---|
Ambizione | A novel process for electrochemical direct-air capture of CO2 Swiss National Science Formation, Ambizione grants |
2021-2023 | Alexander Muroyama |
ELYMAT | New materials for electrolysis cells and next generation electrochemical water splitting devices (collaboration with the group Chemical Processes and Materials - CPM at PSI) Swiss Federal Office of Energy |
2021-2024 | Lorenz Gubler |
Industry | Projects funded by industrial partners, subject to confidentiality | Lorenz Gubler | |
RFBsep | Functional composite separator-membrane materials for redox flow batteries Swiss National Science Foundation |
2020-2023 | Lorenz Gubler |
NF-Antiox17 | Radical attack, antioxidants and polymer repair chemistry in hydrocarbon based fuel cell membranes Swiss National Science Foundation |
2018-2022 | Lorenz Gubler |
Recent Publications
A complete publication list can be found on Scopus.
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Yazili D, Marini E, Saatkamp T, Münchinger A, de Wild T, Gubler L, et al.
Sulfonated poly(phenylene sulfone) blend membranes finding their way into proton exchange membrane fuel cells
Journal of Power Sources. 2023; 563: 232791 (10 pp.). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpowsour.2023.232791
DORA PSI -
de Wild T, Nemeth T, Becker P, Günther D, Nauser T, Schmidt TJ, et al.
Repair of aromatic hydrocarbon-based membranes tested under accelerated fuel cell conditions
Journal of Power Sources. 2023; 560: 232525 (13 pp.). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpowsour.2022.232525
DORA PSI -
Gubler L
Wire-free electrochemical CO2 scrubbing
Nature Energy. 2022; 7: 216-217. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41560-022-00983-1
DORA PSI -
Muroyama AP, Gubler L
Carbonate regeneration using a membrane electrochemical cell for efficient CO2 capture
ACS Sustainable Chemistry and Engineering. 2022; 10(49): 16113-16117. https://doi.org/10.1021/acssuschemeng.2c04175
DORA PSI -
Nemeth T, Agrachev M, Jeschke G, Gubler L, Nauser T
EPR study on the oxidative degradation of phenyl sulfonates, constituents of aromatic hydrocarbon-based proton-exchange fuel cell membranes
Journal of Physical Chemistry C. 2022; 126(37): 15606-15616. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jpcc.2c04566
DORA PSI -
Nemeth T, de Wild T, Gubler L, Nauser T
Impact of substitution on reactions and stability of one-electron oxidised phenyl sulfonates in aqueous solution
Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics. 2022; 24(2): 895-901. https://doi.org/10.1039/d1cp04518k
DORA PSI -
Nemeth T, De Wild T, Gubler L, Nauser T
Moderation of oxidative damage on aromatic hydrocarbon-based polymers
Journal of the Electrochemical Society. 2022; 169(5): 054529 (8 pp.). https://doi.org/10.1149/1945-7111/ac6f85
DORA PSI -
Nemeth T, Nauser T, Gubler L
On the radical-induced degradation of quaternary ammonium cations for anion-exchange membrane fuel cells and electrolyzers
ChemSusChem. 2022; 15(22): e202201571 (9 pp.). https://doi.org/10.1002/cssc.202201571
DORA PSI -
Weber CC, Schuler T, De Bruycker R, Gubler L, Büchi FN, De Angelis S
On the role of porous transport layer thickness in polymer electrolyte water electrolysis
Journal of Power Sources Advances. 2022; 15: 100095 (6 pp.). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.powera.2022.100095
DORA PSI -
Zhang Z, Han Z, Testino A, Gubler L
Platinum and cerium-zirconium oxide co-doped membrane for mitigated H2 crossover and ionomer degradation in PEWE
Journal of the Electrochemical Society. 2022; 169(10): 104501 (6 pp.). https://doi.org/10.1149/1945-7111/ac94a3
DORA PSI -
de Wild T, Nemeth T, Nauser T, Schmidt TJ, Gubler L
Chemical stability enhancement of aromatic proton exchange membranes using a damage repair mechanism
In: Polymer electrolyte fuel cells & electrolyzers 22 (PEFC&E 22). Vol. 109. ECS transactions. sine loco: IOP Publishing; 2022:317-325. https://doi.org/10.1149/10909.0317ecst
DORA PSI -
Duburg JC, Azizi K, Primdahl S, Hjuler HA, Zanzola E, Schmidt TJ, et al.
Composite polybenzimidazole membrane with high capacity retention for vanadium redox flow batteries
Molecules. 2021; 26(6): 1679 (15 pp.). https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules26061679
DORA PSI -
Garbe S, Samulesson E, Schmidt TJ, Gubler L
Comparison of Pt-doped membranes for gas crossover suppression in polymer electrolyte water electrolysis
Journal of the Electrochemical Society. 2021; 168(10): 104502 (8 pp.). https://doi.org/10.1149/1945-7111/ac2925
DORA PSI -
Garbe S, Futter J, Schmidt TJ, Gubler L
Insight into elevated temperature and thin membrane application for high efficiency in polymer electrolyte water electrolysis
Electrochimica Acta. 2021; 377: 138046 (12 pp.). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.electacta.2021.138046
DORA PSI -
Garbe S, Futter J, Agarwal A, Tarik M, Mularczyk AA, Schmidt TJ, et al.
Understanding degradation effects of elevated temperature operating conditions in polymer electrolyte water electrolyzers
Journal of the Electrochemical Society. 2021; 168(4): 044515 (13 pp.). https://doi.org/10.1149/1945-7111/abf4ae
DORA PSI -
Muroyama AP, Beard A, Pribyl-Kranewitter B, Gubler L
Separation of CO2 from dilute gas streams using a membrane electrochemical cell
ACS ES&T Engineering. 2021; 1(5): 905-916. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsestengg.1c00048
DORA PSI -
de Wild T, Nemeth T, Nolte TM, Schmidt TJ, Nauser T, Gubler L
Possible repair mechanism for hydrocarbon-based-ionomers following damage by radical attack
Journal of the Electrochemical Society. 2021; 168(5): 054514 (12 pp.). https://doi.org/10.1149/1945-7111/abf9be
DORA PSI