Membrane electrode assembly and method for fabricating the same. In one embodiment, the method may involve providing an anion exchange membrane and then applying catalyst coatings to opposing surfaces of the anion exchange membrane, whereby a membrane electrode assembly may be formed. Next, the membrane electrode assembly may be subjected to a two-part treatment process. In a first part of the process, the membrane electrode assembly may be swelled, at room temperature, by exposure to an aqueous ethanol solution vapor while being retained under tension in a frame. The aqueous ethanol solution vapor may be, for example, 80:20 by volume ethanol and water. In a second part of the process, the swollen membrane electrode assembly may be removed from the frame and then pressed, at room temperature, between two plates. A layer of rubber and a layer polytetrafluoroethylene may be placed between each plate and the swollen membrane electrolyte assembly.

Disclosed herein are proton transport membranes and methods of making and use thereof. The proton transport membranes comprise: a two-dimensional (2D) material having a top surface and a bottom surface; wherein the two-dimensional material comprises graphene and hexagonal-boron nitride in an atomic ratio of from 100:0 to 0:100. In some examples: the top surface is functionalized with a first functional moiety and the bottom surface is not functionalized; the top surface is functionalized with a first functional moiety and the bottom surface is functionalized with the first functional moiety; or the top surface is functionalized with a first functional moiety and the bottom surface is functionalized with a second functional moiety, the second functional moiety being different than the first functional moiety. In some examples, the two-dimensional material is doped with a substitutional dopant in an amount of from greater than 0 atomic % (at %) to less than 100 at %.

Disclosed herein are proton transport membranes and methods of making and use thereof. The proton transport membranes comprise: a two-dimensional (2D) material having a top surface and a bottom surface; wherein the two-dimensional material comprises graphene and hexagonal-boron nitride in an atomic ratio of from 100:0 to 0:100. In some examples: the top surface is functionalized with a first functional moiety and the bottom surface is not functionalized; the top surface is functionalized with a first functional moiety and the bottom surface is functionalized with the first functional moiety; or the top surface is functionalized with a first functional moiety and the bottom surface is functionalized with a second functional moiety, the second functional moiety being different than the first functional moiety. In some examples, the two-dimensional material is doped with a substitutional dopant in an amount of from greater than 0 atomic % (at %) to less than 100 at %.

An electrolyte membrane and method for generating the membrane provide a resistance as low as possible to minimize ohmic losses. The membrane has a low permeability for redox-active species. If redox-active species still cross the membrane, this transport is balanced during charge and discharge preventing a net vanadium flux and associated capacity fading. The membrane is mechanically robust, chemically stable in electrolyte solution, and low cost. A family of ion exchange membranes including a bilayer architecture achieves these requirements. The bilayer membrane includes two polymers, i) a polymer including N-heterocycles with electron lone pairs acting as proton acceptor sites and ii) a mechanically robust polymer acting as a support, which can be a dense cation exchange membrane or porous support layer. This bilayer architecture permits a very thin polymer film on a supporting polymer to minimize ohmic resistance and tune electrolyte transport properties of the membrane.

The invention relates to a separator for non-aqueous-type electrochemical devices that has been coated with a polymer binder composition having polymer particles of two different sizes, one fraction of the polymer particles with a weight average particle size of less than 1.5 micron, and the other fraction of the polymer particles with a weight average particle size of greater than 1.5 microns. The bi-modal polymer particles provide an uneven coating surface that creates voids between the separator and adjoining electrodes, allowing for expansion of the battery components during the charging and discharging cycle, with little or no increase in the size of the battery itself. The bi-modal polymer coating can be used in non-aqueous-type electrochemical devices, such as batteries and electric double layer capacitors.

Stabilized surfactant-based membranes and methods of manufacture thereof. Membranes comprising a stabilized surfactant mesostructure on a porous support may be used for various separations, including reverse osmosis and forward osmosis. The membranes are stabilized after evaporation of solvents; in some embodiments no removal of the surfactant is required. The surfactant solution may or may not comprise a hydrophilic compound such as an acid or base. The surface of the porous support is preferably modified prior to formation of the stabilized surfactant mesostructure. The membrane is sufficiently stable to be utilized in commercial separations devices such as spiral wound modules. Also a stabilized surfactant mesostructure coating for a porous material and filters made therefrom. The coating can simultaneously improve both the permeability and the filtration characteristics of the porous material.

Ion conductive organic-inorganic composite particles are particles that have an organic group on the surface of inorganic particles and have at least a configuration that does not allow the inorganic particles to contact with each other by steric hindrance of the organic group, the organic group containing an ion conductive group.

Ion conductive organic-inorganic composite particles are particles that have an organic group on the surface of inorganic particles and have at least a configuration that does not allow the inorganic particles to contact with each other by steric hindrance of the organic group, the organic group containing an ion conductive group.

A method for producing a waterproof and ion-conducting flexible membrane intended for protecting a metal electrode. It comprises a synthesis by electrically assisted extrusion of compact fibers forming an ion-conducting fiber array comprising a first material. The fiber array defines a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface. Subsequently, the fiber array is impregnated with a polymer of a second material, to form a metal electrode protection membrane. The fiber array forms paths for conducting ions between the first surface and the second surface and through the second material. The first surface is intended to be in contact with the metal electrode.

Provided is a catalyst layer for fuel cell which has a high catalytic activity and enables maintaining the high catalytic activity. Disclosed is an electrode catalyst layer for fuel cell including a catalyst containing a catalyst carrier having carbon as a main component and a catalytic metal supported on the catalyst carrier, and a polymer electrolyte having a sulfonic acid group (—SO.sub.3H) as an ion exchange group, in which the catalyst has the R′ (D′/G intensity ratio) of 0.6 or less, which is the ratio of D′ band peak intensity (D′ intensity) measured in the vicinity of 1620 cm.sup.−1 relative to G band peak intensity (G intensity) measured in the vicinity of 1580 cm.sup.−1 by Raman spectroscopy, and has BET specific surface area of 900 m.sup.2/g catalyst carrier or more, and mole number of a sulfonic acid group in the polymer electrolyte relative to weight of the catalyst carrier is 0.7 mmol/g or more and 1.0 mmol/g or less.