Effect of anode iridium oxide content on the electrochemical performance and resistance to cell reversal potential of polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells

An ideal polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) is one that continuously generates electricity as long as hydrogen and oxygen (or air) are supplied to its anode and cathode, respectively. However, internal and/or external conditions could bring about the degradation of its electrodes, which are composed of nanoparticle catalysts. Particularly, when the hydrogen supply to the anode is disrupted, a reverse voltage is generated. This phenomenon, which seriously degrades the anode catalyst, is referred to as cell reversal. To prevent its occurrence, iridium oxide (IrO₂) particles were added to the anode in the membrane-electrode assembly of the PEMFC single-cells. After 100 cell reversal cycles, the single-cell voltage profiles of the anode with Pt/C only and the anodes with Pt/C and various IrO₂ contents were obtained. Additionally, the cell reversal-induced degradation phenomenon was also confirmed electrochemically and physically, and the use of anodes with various IrO₂ contents was also discussed.     

衬套内外封闭8字形油槽加工装置

通过对衬套油槽的分析,提出了车衬套内外封闭8字形油槽的加工装置,并详细分析了该加工装置的结构。经生产实践证明:该加工装置调试简单,工作时稳定性强,加工出的零件达到了使用要求。     

A sorption rate hypothesis for the increase in H2 permeability of palladium-silver (Pd-Ag) membranes caused by air oxidation

Hydrogen permeation measurements were performed at 300 °C for 25-μm cold-rolled Pd-Ag 25 wt% membranes before and after air oxidation at the same temperature as permeation. The air oxidation resulted in enhanced H₂ permeation through the membrane, as well as a roughening of the surface with the formation of surface grains and defects. The protruding grains can be leveled off by exposure to H₂ but the surface defects cannot. These microstructure changes are only on the membrane surfaces and do not create transmembrane defects that would allow permeation for gas species other than H₂. The H₂ permeability of the oxidized membrane increased by 25-90% compared to that of the as-received film at the same permeation condition, and the membranes retained perfect H₂ selectivity over N₂. The percent improvement of H₂ permeability decreases with increasing H₂ feed pressure. A new sorption kinetics hypothesis is proposed to elucidate the increase in H₂ permeability of Pd-Ag membranes caused by oxidation. H₂ solubility and sorption rate results were presented to test the new hypothesis. It is found that air oxidation does not change the H₂ solubility in Pd-Ag membranes, but enhances the H₂ sorption kinetics significantly. The extent of kinetics enhancement also decreases with increasing H₂ pressures. The much faster sorption equilibrium implies higher effective H₂ diffusivity at the Pd-Ag membrane surface for the oxidized sample and a higher transfer rate of atomic hydrogen from surface/sub-surface to the membrane bulk that contributes to the increase of H₂ permeability observed in experiments.     

超滤技术在无锡中桥水厂深度处理工程中的应用

近年来,膜处理技术在水处理领域的应用已趋成熟。随着对供水安全的日益关注,超滤技术在饮用水处理领域中得到越来越广泛的应用。无锡市自来水总公司中桥水厂于2009年采用西门子外压式超滤膜处理技术,率先建成15×104m3/d采用超滤膜饮用净水处理系统,出水水质全面达到且部分优于《生活饮用水卫生标准》(GB 5749—2006)。根据无锡中桥水厂升级改造工程的经验以及两年多的实际运行情况,分析了超滤系统运行操作的特点。超滤技术在无锡中桥水厂的应用可以为国内其他水厂的工艺升级改造,特别是大型水厂的膜法水处理工程项目的决策和建设提供参考。     

Transport Phenomena in Zonal Centrifuge Rotors. III. Particle Sedimentation in Gradient Solutions

Abstract

An analysis is presented for the prediction of (a) a particle position as a function of rotation time, (b) an instantaneous particle sedimentation velocity, and (c) an instantaneous observed particle sedimentation coefficient in a gradient solution characterized by viscosity and density profiles which are expressed in polynomials as functions of radial distance of the zonal rotor. Effect on variation of those predicted quantities with (a) particle size and rotor speed, (b) the density ratio between a particle and the light end of the gradient solution, and (c) the profiles of a gradient solution are also discussed from the computed numerical results.     

Influence of doping level in Yttria-Stabilised-Zirconia (YSZ) based-fillers as degradation inhibitors for proton exchange membranes fuel cells (PEMFCs) in drastic conditions

Yttria-Stabilized-Zirconia fillers with different Y₂O₃ loadings are used to prepare composite Nafion membranes for PEMFCs. XRD and BET demonstrate the formation of a c-ZrO₂ mesoporous structure. SEM reveals a size reduction of the agglomerates increasing the ZrO₂ doping level. A good mechanical resistance, no variation into the water retention, swelling restraint and an increased Ion Exchange Capacity (IEC) of the membranes are found respect to reference membrane, above all for highly doped membranes, indicating an acidic properties enhancement. Proton conductivity (PC) at 100%RH (80–100 °C) is unchanged for composite membranes compared to reference. At 75%RH, PC is positively affected by the highest YSZ loadings. Fenton's test on membranes evidences a higher oxidative chemical stability for composite membranes. This improved stability is confirmed by accelerated stress test in drastic conditions: composite highly doped membranes work for more than 110 cycles with a good performance and lower H₂-crossover against 95 cycles and higher H₂-crossover than reference membrane.     

Performance of Pd composite membrane prepared by organic–inorganic method in WGS membrane reactor

H₂ production via water–gas shift (WGS) reaction in a Pd membrane reactor prepared by the electroless plating technique (ELP) “organic–inorganic” method was investigated. Pd nanoparticles embedded polyethylene glycol (PEG) was used as a polymer template during the activation step. Gas permeation results showed an infinite selectivity for H₂/N₂ with a H₂ flux of 0.004–0.016 mol/m²·s depending on operating conditions while it decreased until 0.0005 mol/m²·s for gas mixtures. Furthermore, WGS membrane reactor experiments showed a maximum CO conversion of 98.5% with a H₂ recovery of 16% at 450°C. The membrane performance was consistent during WGS catalytic membrane reactors (CMR) tests, thereby confirming the stability of the obtained membrane.     

Oxygen permeation of various archetypes of oxygen membranes based on BSCF

Ba_0.5Sr_0.5Co_0.8Fe_0.2O_3‐δ tubes, capillaries, capillary modules, and asymmetric membranes were prepared and tested for oxygen permeation in a dead‐end vacuum operation mode at temperatures up to 850^°C. The capillary module was built up by reactive air brazing using seven capillaries and a supply tube. Two machined discs were used as an end cap and as a connector plate. The oxygen permeation behaves according to Wagner at small driving forces, but significant negative deviations were observed for asymmetric membranes and single capillaries at higher ones. This is caused by pressure drops at the vacuum side for single capillaries. The highest oxygen flux was revealed for the capillary module with 175.5 mL(STP)/min at a low‐vacuum pressure of 0.042 bar at 850^°C, but the asymmetric membrane showing a little bit higher flux at moderate vacuum pressures above 0.07 bar. © 2012 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 58: 3195–3202, 2012     

Fuel bioadditive production by chitosan/sulfosuccinic acid catalytic membrane

Global warming is one of the biggest environmental problems of late. The use of renewable raw material resources as biomass and its conversion into alternative energy resources have attracted considerable attention during the recent years. Ethyl levulinate (EL) is a kind of fuel bioadditive for use in diesel and biodiesel engines, which is produced by the esterification of ethanol and levulinic acid. In the present study, sulfosuccinic acid (SSA) catalysts supported on chitosan catalytic membrane is used for the synthesis of EL. The effects of temperature, catalyst amount, and molar feed ratio were studied.