Membranes and Electrochemical Cells

Radiation grafted proton conducting membrane

Our mission is to create innovation in the area of polymer electrolyte materials for electrochemical applications, notably fuel cells, electrolysis cells, and redox flow cells. We aim to prepare polymers with desired functionalities for the respective application and operating conditions, using commercially available and low-cost materials (base films, monomers and additives) and industrially viable processing techniques. Furthermore, we develop dedicated diagnostic methods to study limitations in cell performance and aging of materials and components.

Redox-Flow test bench

Our synthetic strategy is based on the preparation and functionalization of polymer films via radiation-induced grafting to obtain membranes containing ionic sites. Activation of the base polymer film can be done using an electron beam (performed externally). For surface grafting, the film is activated in a plasma chamber. Activated films are stored in a fridge at a temperature of -80°C. For the grafting reaction, a wide range of vinyl monomers amenable to radical polymerization can be used, such as styrenes and acrylics.

Fuel cell stack (6 cells) for membrane performance and durability evaluation

The laboratory has a wide range of characterization methods for ex situ characterization of starting materials, intermediates and membranes: infrared and Raman spectroscopy for composition analysis, SEM-EDX, XPS, DSC/TGA, tensile testing machine, etc. The conductivity of membranes is measured using ac impedance spectroscopy (in-plane or through-plane). In addition, we have a well-equiped fuel cell test infrastructure with test benches for single cells up to stacks for 30 kW power output.

Water electrolysis test benches (pressure up to 20 bar)

Water electrolysis plays a key role in future energy scenarios (power-to-gas). We study materials aspects of polymer electrolyte water electrolyzers with a few to increasing performance and efficiency and investigate mechanican and chemical aging phenomena of key cell components. Two custom-built test benches for cells of 25 cm2 active area can be operated up to a pressure of 20 bar. We can measure impedance spectra and monitor the purity of gases (in particular H2 contamination in O2) continuously.

M&EC Day March 2024

Current group members:

  • Lorenz Gubler, Head
  • Torben Saatkamp, Scientist
  • Ivan Zelocualtecatl Montiel, Postdoctoral Research Fellow
  • Sudeshna Patra, Postdoctoral Research Fellow
  • Zheyu Zhang, PhD Student
  • Zongyi Han, PhD Student
  • Jiaxin Lu, PhD Student
  • Qingxin Zhang, PhD Student
  • Kilian Stengl, Internship Student (TU Munich)
  • Fabienne Demarmels, Semester Project Student (ETH Zürich)
  • Yannick Lüthi, Apprentice

PhD student funded by Johnson Matthey (UK) on the topic of 'Hydrocarbon fuel cell proton exchange membranes (PEMs):  chemical durability and testing protocols'

No open positions currently.

Furthermore, we have regular openings for student's projects in different areas: fuel cells, electrolyzers, redox flow cells on topics ranging from materials synthesis and characterization to test system design and implementation.

ProjectDescriptionDurationContact
AntioxAEMDeciphering and Mitigation of Radical Induced
Damage in Alkaline Anion Conducting Ionomers for Fuel Cells and Electrolyzers

Swiss National Science Foundation		2023-2027Lorenz Gubler
HCmemHydrocarbon Fuel Cell Proton Exchange Membranes (PEMs):  Chemical Durability and Testing Protocols

Johnson Matthey (UK)		2023-2027Lorenz Gubler
AmbizioneA novel process for electrochemical direct-air capture of CO2

Swiss National Science Formation, Ambizione grants		2021-2023Alexander Muroyama
ELYMATNew materials for electrolysis cells and next generation electrochemical water splitting devices
(collaboration with the group Chemical Processes and Materials - CPM at PSI)

Swiss Federal Office of Energy		2021-2024Lorenz Gubler
IndustryProjects funded by industrial partners, subject to confidentiality Lorenz Gubler
RFBsepFunctional composite separator-membrane materials for redox flow batteries

Swiss National Science Foundation		2020-2023Lorenz Gubler
NF-Antiox17Radical attack, antioxidants and polymer repair chemistry in hydrocarbon based fuel cell membranes

Swiss National Science Foundation		2018-2022Lorenz Gubler

A complete publication list can be found on Scopus.

 

  • Appel C, Aliyah K, Lazaridis T, Prehal C, Ammann M, Xu L, et al.
    Operando scanning small-/wide-angle X-ray scattering for polymer electrolyte fuel cells: investigation of catalyst layer saturation and membrane hydration- capabilities and challenges
    ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces. 2024; 16: 25938-25952. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsami.3c11173
    DORA PSI
  • Barros Á, Aranzabe E, Artetxe B, Duburg JC, Gubler L, Gutiérrez-Zorrilla JM, et al.
    Polyoxometalate-based symmetric redox flow batteries: performance in mild aqueous media
    ACS Applied Energy Materials. 2024; 7(9): 3729-3739. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsaem.4c00085
    DORA PSI
  • Carreón Ruiz ER, Malamud F, Lee J, Burca G, Trabesinger S, Gubler L, et al.
    Operando lateral state-of-charge inhomogeneity mapping via wavelength-resolved neutron imaging
    Materials Today Energy. 2024; 46: 101710 (10 pp.). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mtener.2024.101710
    DORA PSI
  • Duburg JC, Chen B, Holdcroft S, Schmidt TJ, Gubler L
    Design of polybenzimidazolium membranes for use in vanadium redox flow batteries
    Journal of Materials Chemistry A. 2024; 12(11): 6387-6398. https://doi.org/10.1039/d3ta07212f
    DORA PSI
  • Duburg JC, Avaro J, Krupnik L, Silva BFB, Neels A, Schmidt TJ, et al.
    Design principles for high-performance meta-polybenzimidazole membranes for vanadium redox flow batteries
    Energy and Environmental Materials. 2024: e12793 (12 pp.). https://doi.org/10.1002/eem2.12793
    DORA PSI
  • Hampson E, Duburg JC, Casella J, Schmidt TJ, Gubler L
    A simple approach to balancing conductivity and capacity fade in vanadium redox flow batteries by the tunable pretreatment of polybenzimidazole membranes
    Chemical Engineering Journal. 2024; 485: 149930 (11 pp.). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cej.2024.149930
    DORA PSI
  • Muroyama AP, Abu-Arja D, Rogerio BK, Masiello D, Winzely M, Gubler L
    Performance enhancement of a membrane electrochemical cell for CO2 capture
    Journal of the Electrochemical Society. 2024; 171(1): 013504 (7 pp.). https://doi.org/10.1149/1945-7111/ad1acf
    DORA PSI
  • Schuler T, Weber CC, Wrubel JA, Gubler L, Pivovar B, Büchi FN, et al.
    Ultrathin microporous transport layers: implications for low catalyst loadings, thin membranes, and high current density operation for proton exchange membrane electrolysis
    Advanced Energy Materials. 2024; 14(7): 2302786 (12 pp.). https://doi.org/10.1002/aenm.202302786
    DORA PSI
  • Weber CC, De Angelis S, Meinert R, Appel C, Holler M, Guizar-Sicairos M, et al.
    Microporous transport layers facilitating low iridium loadings in polymer electrolyte water electrolysis
    EES Catalysis. 2024; 2(2): 585-602. https://doi.org/10.1039/d3ey00279a
    DORA PSI
  • Zhang Z, Baudy A, Testino A, Gubler L
    Cathode catalyst layer design in PEM water electrolysis toward reduced Pt loading and hydrogen crossover
    ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces. 2024; 16(18): 23265-23277. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsami.4c01827
    DORA PSI
  • Aliyah K, Prehal C, Diercks JS, Diklić N, Xu L, Ünsal S, et al.
    Quantification of PEFC catalyst layer saturation via in silico, ex situ, and in situ small-angle X-ray scattering
    ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces. 2023; 15(22): 26538-26553. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsami.3c00420
    DORA PSI
  • Carreon Ruiz ER, Lee J, Strobl M, Stalder N, Burca G, Gubler L, et al.
    Revealing the impact of temperature in battery electrolytes via wavelength-resolved neutron imaging
    Science Advances. 2023; 9(39): eadi0586 (12 pp.). https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.adi0586
    DORA PSI
  • Carreón Ruiz ER, Stalder N, Lee J, Gubler L, Boillat P
    Prospects of spectroscopic neutron imaging: optimizing experimental setups in battery electrolyte research
    Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics. 2023; 25(36): 24993-25007. https://doi.org/10.1039/d3cp03434h
    DORA PSI
  • Carreón Ruiz ER, Lee J, Márquez Damián JI, Strobl M, Burca G, Woracek R, et al.
    Spectroscopic neutron imaging for resolving hydrogen dynamics changes in battery electrolytes
    Materials Today Advances. 2023; 19: 100405 (6 pp.). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mtadv.2023.100405
    DORA PSI
  • Soon WL, Peydayesh M, de Wild T, Donat F, Saran R, Müller CR, et al.
    Renewable energy from livestock waste valorization: amyloid-based feather keratin fuel cells
    ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces. 2023; 15(40): 47049-47057. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsami.3c10218
    DORA PSI
  • Weber CC, Wrubel JA, Gubler L, Bender G, De Angelis S, Büchi FN
    How the porous transport layer interface affects catalyst utilization and performance in polymer electrolyte water electrolysis
    ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces. 2023; 15(29): 34750-34763. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsami.3c04151
    DORA PSI
  • Yazili D, Marini E, Saatkamp T, Münchinger A, de Wild T, Gubler L, et al.
    Sulfonated poly(phenylene sulfone) blend membranes finding their way into proton exchange membrane fuel cells
    Journal of Power Sources. 2023; 563: 232791 (10 pp.). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpowsour.2023.232791
    DORA PSI
  • de Wild T, Wurm J, Becker P, Günther D, Nauser T, Schmidt TJ, et al.
    A nature-inspired antioxidant strategy based on porphyrin for aromatic hydrocarbon containing fuel cell membranes**
    ChemSusChem. 2023; 16(21): e202300775 (13 pp.). https://doi.org/10.1002/cssc.202300775
    DORA PSI
  • de Wild T, Nemeth T, Becker P, Günther D, Nauser T, Schmidt TJ, et al.
    Repair of aromatic hydrocarbon-based membranes tested under accelerated fuel cell conditions
    Journal of Power Sources. 2023; 560: 232525 (13 pp.). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpowsour.2022.232525
    DORA PSI