Abstract:

One of the grand challenges facing humanity today is the development of an alternative energy system that is safe, clean, and sustainable. A Distributed Renewable Electrochemical Energy and Mobility System (DREEMS) can meet this challenge. At the foundation of this new energy system, we have chosen to study fuel cells, electrolyzers, and flow batteries. For all these devices polymer electrolytes play a critical role in controlling their performance, cost, and durability, and thus their economic viability. In this presentation, I will focus on our recent work on Hydroxide Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells (HEMFCs). More specifically, I will focus on our recent discovery of a new family of polymer hydroxide (and other anions) conductors that is chemically stable, ionically conductive, and mechanically robust; and HEMFCs with this new class of polymers showed record fuel cell performance and stability at 95 ºC. I will also briefly introduce a new class of crystalline porous polymers that are the most stable among all crystalline porous materials.