Mechanical Engineering Commons^™

Mechanical Properties Of A Reinforced Composite Polymer Electrolyte Membrane And Its Simulated Performance In Pem Fuel Cells, Yaliang Tang, Ahmet Kusoglu, Anette M. Karlsson, Michael H. Santare, Simon Cleghorn, William B. Johnson

Mechanical Engineering Faculty Publications

The hygro-thermo-mechanical properties and response of a class of reinforced perfluorosulfonic acid membranes (PFSA), that has potential application as an electrolyte in polymer fuel cells, are investigated through both experimental and numerical modeling means. A critical set of material properties, including Young’s modulus, proportional limit stress, break stress and break strain, is determined for a range of temperature and humidity levels in a custom-built environmental test apparatus. The swelling strains are also determined as functions of temperature and humidity level. To elucidate the mechanical response and the potential effect these properties have on the mechanical durability, mechanics-based simulations are performed …