Abstract
This article describes the development of a sub-30 μm thick LDPE-based radiation-grafted anion-exchange membrane (RGAEM) with high performance characteristics when fully hydrated. This RG-AEM had a OH– anion conductivity of 200 mS cm- 1 (80°C in 100% relative humidity (RH) environments), which led to a H2/O2 anion-exchange membrane fuel cell (AEMFC) performance of 2.0 W cm-2 (80°C, RH = 92% environments, PtRu/C anode, and a Pt/C cathode) and a H2/air(CO2-free) AEMFC peak power density of 850 mW cm-2 with a (non-platinum-group) Ag/C cathode electrocatalyst. When hydrated in a RH = 100% N2 (CO2-free) atmosphere, the OH– form of this RG-AEM shows ˂ 7% degradation after 500 h at 80°C, with the extent of degradation being highly similar when measured using three different techniques (decrease in conductivity, decrease in ammonium content as measured using Raman spectroscopy, and decrease in ion-exchange capacity).