Analysis of Nafion® Fuel Cell Membrane Chemical Durability Using Broadband Dielectric Spectroscopy

Document Type

Conference Proceeding

Publication Date

12-1-2011

School

Polymer Science and Engineering

Abstract

Changes in macromolecular dynamics associated with the T g - related β relaxation of Nafion®, with chemical degradation, were investigated using broadband dielectric spectroscopy. Loss permittivity vs. frequency spectra showed peak splitting reflecting microstructural heterogeneity. Spectra were analyzed using the conductivity-modified Havriliak-Negami equation and the Kramers-Krönig integral transform, both of which showed broadening and peak splitting for degraded samples. Peak broadening and bi and tri-modal character of the spectra of degraded samples was also manifest in distributions of relaxation times which reflected a broadening of molecular weight distribution and related microstructural heterogeneity induced by chemical degradation. © 2011 ECS - The Electrochemical Society.

Publication Title

ECS Transactions

Volume

41

Issue

1

First Page

1359

Last Page

1370

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