Gas permeability of modified perfluorinated sulfonic acid membranes when operating in a proton exchange membrane fuel cell

The gas permeability of perfluorinated proton-exchange MF-4SC membranes modified with an inert fluoropolymer and zirconium hydrogen phosphate was studied under operating conditions of a proton exchange membrane fuel cell using electrochemical methods of cyclic and staircase voltammetry. The adequacy of the methods used for estimating the hydrogen crossover current was demonstrated using membranes of different thicknesses. The relationship between the membrane permeability for hydrogen and the diffusion permeability for the electrolyte solution was studied for membranes modified with zirconium hydrogen phosphate. The optimal content of the inert fluoropolymer and zirconium hydrogen phosphate in the proton-exchange perfluorinated MF-4SC membrane was found, which ensures an increase in the power characteristics of the fuel cell and reduced hydrogen permeability.