Membranes and Electrochemical Cells

Radiation grafted proton conducting membrane
Radiation grafted proton conducting membrane

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.
 

Redox-Flow test bench
Redox-Flow test bench
Our synthetic strategy is based on the preparation and functionalization of polymer films via radiation-induced grafting to obtain membranes containing ionic sites. Activation of the base polymer film can be done using an electron beam (performed externally). For surface grafting, the film is activated in a plasma chamber. Activated films are stored in a fridge at a temperature of -80°C. For the grafting reaction, a wide range of vinyl monomers amenable to radical polymerization can be used, such as styrenes and acrylics. Post-treatment of grafted films may involve various chemical processing steps, such as sulfonation to introduce proton exchange sites.
Fuel cell stack (6 cells) for membrane performance and durability evaluation
Fuel cell stack (6 cells) for membrane performance and durability evaluation
The laboratory has a wide range of characterization methods for ex situ characterization of starting materials, intermediates and membranes: infrared and Raman spectroscopy for composition analysis, SEM-EDX, XPS, DSC/TGA, tensile testing machine, etc. The conductivity of membranes is measured using ac impedance spectroscopy (in-plane or through-plane). In addition, we have a well-equiped fuel cell test infrastructure with test benches for single cells up to stacks for 30 kW power output. We aim to understand component and cell performance characteristics and limitations thereof, in particular aging phenomena of membranes and electrodes under application-relevant or accelerated test conditions.
Water electrolysis test benches (pressure up to 20 bar)
Water electrolysis test benches (pressure up to 20 bar)
Water electrolysis plays a key role in future energy scenarios (power-to-gas). We study materials aspects of polymer electrolyte water electrolyzers with a few to increasing performance and efficiency and investigate mechanican and chemical aging phenomena of key cell components. Two custom-built test benches for cells of 25 cm2 active area can be operated up to a pressure of 20 bar. We can measure impedance spectra and monitor the purity of gases (in particular H2 contamination in O2) continuously.
Membranes & Electrochemical Cells Group at the annual retreat 2020 in Baden
Membranes & Electrochemical Cells Group at the annual retreat 2020 in Baden

Current group members:

  • Lorenz Gubler, Head
  • Alexander Muroyama, Ambizione Fellow
  • Tamás Németh, Postdoctoral Research Fellow
  • Elizabeth Hampson, Postdoctoral Research Fellow
  • Davide Masiello, Postdoctoral Research Fellow
  • Aaron Schneider, Lab Technician
  • Tym De Wild, PhD Student
  • Jamie Duburg, PhD Student
  • Zheyu Zhang, PhD Student
  • Barbara Kohlrausch, Internship Student (IAESTE)
  • Zongyi Han, Master Thesis Student (ETHZ)

(none)

Furthermore, we have regular openings for student's projects in different areas: fuel cells, electrolyzers, redox flow cells on topics ranging from materials synthesis and characterization to test system design and implementation.
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		 2018-2021 Lorenz Gubler
ELYTEMP Elevated temperature (90-95°C) polymer electrolyte water electrolysis for reduced cost of hydrogen for energy applications

Swiss Federal Office of Energy		 2018-2021 Lorenz Gubler
Bridge RFB Functionalized separators enabling a break-through of redox flow batteries for stationary energy storage

SNF Bridge		 2018-2020 Lorenz Gubler

A complete publication list can be found on Scopus.

 

  • Gubler L
    Wire-free electrochemical CO2 scrubbing
    Nature Energy. 2022; 7: 216-217. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41560-022-00983-1
    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
  • 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
  • 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

Contact

Group Head
Dr. Lorenz Gubler
Paul Scherrer Institut
5232 Villigen-PSI
Switzerland

Telephone: +41 56 310 2673
E-mail: lorenz.gubler@psi.ch

Secretary
Cordelia Gloor
Telephone: +41 56 310 29 19
E-mail: cordelia.gloor@psi.ch