Enhancement of Mass Transport in Catalyst Layers of HT-PEMFC with Tetrafluorophenyl Phosphonic Acid Binder

The design and development of new and efficient catalyst binder materials are important for improving cell performance in high-temperature proton-exchange membrane fuel cells (HT-PEMFCs). In this study, a series of tetrafluorophenyl phosphonic acid−based binder materials (PF-y-P, y=1, 0.83, and 0.67) with rigid structures and controllable degrees of phosphonation were prepared and used in HT-PEMFCs using the ultra-strong acid-catalyzed Friedel−Crafts reaction and the combined Michaelis−Arbuzov reaction. The samples exhibited high stability, low water uptake, superior proton conductivity, and cell performance. In addition, the oxygen mass transport properties of the PF-1-P binder were investigated using high-temperature microelectrode electrochemical testing techniques. Compared with the phosphoric acid-doped polybenzimidazole (PBI) binder, the O₂ solubility of PF-1-P binder material increased by 30 % (5.36×10⁻⁶ mol cm⁻³) and the PF-1-P binder material exhibited better cell stability in HT-PEMFCs. After 10.5 h of discharge at a constant current of 0.12 A cm⁻², the MEA voltage decreased by 7.1 % and 20.8 % in case of the PF-1-P and PBI binders, respectively.