A protonated dimeric ionic liquid that enhances and improves the performance of a fuel cell catalyst. The protonated dimeric ionic liquid comprises 9′9′-(butane-1, 4-diyl)bis(3,4,6,7,8,9-hexahydro-2H-pyrimido[1,2-a]pyrimidin-1-ium) 1,1,2,2,3,3,4,4,4-nonafluorobutane-1-sulfonate (HTBD) Membrane electrode assemblies (MEAs) and polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) employing the protonated dimeric ionic liquid are also disclosed.

A protonated dimeric ionic liquid that enhances and improves the performance of a fuel cell catalyst. The protonated dimeric ionic liquid comprises 9′9′-(butane-1, 4-diyl)bis(3,4,6,7,8,9-hexahydro-2H-pyrimido[1,2-a]pyrimidin-1-ium) 1,1,2,2,3,3,4,4,4-nonafluorobutane-1-sulfonate (HTBD) Membrane electrode assemblies (MEAs) and polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) employing the protonated dimeric ionic liquid are also disclosed.

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 %.

A dimeric ionic liquid that enhances and improves the performance and durability of a fuel cell catalyst. The dimeric ionic liquid comprises 1,1-(butane-1,4-diyl)bis(9-methyl-3,4,6,7,8,9-hexahydro-2H-pyrimido[1,2-a]pyrimidin-1-ium 1,1,2,2,3,3,4,4,4-nonafluorobutane-1-sulfonate (D-[MTBD][C.sub.4F.sub.9SO.sub.3]). Membrane electrode assemblies (MEAs) and polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) employing the dimeric ionic liquid are also disclosed.

A dimeric ionic liquid that enhances and improves the performance and durability of a fuel cell catalyst. The dimeric ionic liquid comprises 1,1-(butane-1,4-diyl)bis(9-methyl-3,4,6,7,8,9-hexahydro-2H-pyrimido[1,2-a]pyrimidin-1-ium 1,1,2,2,3,3,4,4,4-nonafluorobutane-1-sulfonate (D-[MTBD][C.sub.4F.sub.9SO.sub.3]). Membrane electrode assemblies (MEAs) and polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) employing the dimeric ionic liquid are also disclosed.

The present invention is directed to a battery including a solid ionically conductive polymer electrolyte having a first surface and a second surface; a first electrode disposed on the first surface of the solid ionically conductive polymer electrolyte; a second electrode disposed on the second surface of the solid ionically conductive polymer electrolyte; and at least a first conductive terminal and a second conductive terminal, each terminal being in electrical contact with respectively the first conductive electrode and the second conductive electrode. The invention is also directed to a material including a polymer; a dopant; and at least one compound including an ion source; wherein a liberation of a plurality of ions from the ion source provides a conduction mechanism to form an ionically conductive polymer material. The present invention is further directed to methods for making such batteries and materials.

Disclosed are a micropore-filled amphoteric membrane for low vanadium ion permeability, a method of manufacturing the same, and a vanadium redox flow battery including the amphoteric membrane. The micropore-filled amphoteric membrane for low vanadium ion permeability minimizes crossover of vanadium ions, which occurs between a catholyte and an anolyte in a redox flow battery, and has low membrane resistance and thus has remarkably improved performance as compared to commercially available ion-exchange membranes such as Nafion, and accordingly, can be effectively used in the manufacture of a redox flow battery. In addition, the micropore-filled amphoteric membrane is continuously manufactured through a roll-to-roll process, and thus the manufacturing process is simple and manufacturing costs can be greatly reduced.

Disclosed are a micropore-filled amphoteric membrane for low vanadium ion permeability, a method of manufacturing the same, and a vanadium redox flow battery including the amphoteric membrane. The micropore-filled amphoteric membrane for low vanadium ion permeability minimizes crossover of vanadium ions, which occurs between a catholyte and an anolyte in a redox flow battery, and has low membrane resistance and thus has remarkably improved performance as compared to commercially available ion-exchange membranes such as Nafion, and accordingly, can be effectively used in the manufacture of a redox flow battery. In addition, the micropore-filled amphoteric membrane is continuously manufactured through a roll-to-roll process, and thus the manufacturing process is simple and manufacturing costs can be greatly reduced.

Disclosed are redox flow battery membranes, redox flow batteries incorporating the membranes, and methods of forming the membranes. The membranes include a densified polybenzimidazole gel membrane that is capable of incorporating a high liquid content without loss of structure that is formed according to a process that includes in situ hydrolysis of a polyphosphoric acid solvent followed by densification of the gel membrane. The densified membranes are then imbibed with a redox flow battery supporting electrolyte such as sulfuric acid and can operate at very high ionic conductivities of about 50 mS/cm or greater and with low permeability of redox couple ions, e.g. vanadium ions, of about 10.sup.−7 cm.sup.2/s or less. Redox flow batteries incorporating the membranes can operate at current densities of about 50 mA/cm.sup.2 or greater.