Nanoporous niobium phosphate electrolyte membrane for low temperature fuel cell

Nanoporous niobium phosphate (Nb–P) electrolyte membranes were prepared by dry pressing Nb–P nanoparticles for low temperature fuel cells. Highly dispersible Nb–P nanoparticles were synthesized by dispersing Nb–P precursor in furfuryl alcohol, which was polymerized to poly(furyfuryl alcohol) as a space-confinement additive during calcination. SEM, TEM and a range of spectroscopies were used to characterize Nb–P particles and membranes (discs). Nanoporous Nb–P membrane exhibited high proton conductivity (17.4 mS cm−1), low methanol permeability (1.1 × 10−7 cm2 s−1) whereas Nb–P membrane prepared from Nb–P particles synthesized without adding furfuryl alcohol had poor proton conductivity (0.341 mS cm−1) and high methanol permeability (3.13 × 10−5 cm2 s−1). The cell prepared with nanoporous Nb–P membrane showed good cell performance when operated as both H2–O2 fuel cell at room temperature and as DMFC at 60 °C; also this cell performs better than the cell with Nafion membrane at a current density of <72 mA cm−2, and its peak power density is comparable to the cell with Nafion membrane.