Comparative Analysis of Aromatic Sulfonated Polyamide and Perfluorinated Sulfonic Acid Ionomers: Implications for Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cell Performance.

ABSTRACT: Ionomers critically impact catalyst layer performance in polymer electrolyte fuel cells (PEFCs). While sulfonated aromatic polyether-ketone (SPEEK) and Perfluorinated sulfonic acid-Nafion ionomers are widely used, their structure-property relationships under operating conditions remain insufficiently understood. In this study, we systematically analyzed Pt-supported SPEEK and Nafion films (13 nm) using in situ ellipsometry, grazing incidence wide-angle X-ray scattering (GIWAXS), and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) to investigate their morphology, water uptake, and proton transport properties. Compared to Nafion, the ultrathin SPEEK films exhibit dense, well-defined crystalline domains at the buried interface, attributed to a relatively stronger affinity for the Pt subst

SUBMITTER: Gao X 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12670302 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature