NSF Award
9960410
This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project will establish the feasibility of a unique class of hydroxide-conducting, polymer solid electrolyte compositions. These materials are referred to as Hydroxide Exchange Membranes (HEM), which exhibit high OH- conductivity (> 10-2 S/cm) while retaining good film forming properties and mechanical strength. This material would be the first known hydroxide-conducting solid electrolyte. In a preliminary study, Reveo has identified two possible means of synthesizing HEMs. The focus of this study will be on evaluating these HEMs for their hydroxide conductivity, mechanical strength, and film-forming ability, as well as, optimizing the relationships between these parameters.<br/><br/>Cost-effective fabrication methods will be identified, and the effect of temperature on performance will be demonstarted. Preliminary results indicate that these HEMs have great potential to fill a tremendous market need in the alkaline battery industry. Since a competing hydroxide-conducting membrane technology does not currently exist, this material will have immediate applications in the alkaline battery industry. It will further have applications and uses in the Reveo zinc-air Fuel Cell Battery and a hybrid class of hydrogen fuel cells. This will remove the need for protection against corrosion or leakage of the liquid electrolyte and increasing the battery energy and power densities. In particular, this material could dramatically reduce alkaline battery material and manufacturing costs while imparting environmentally-safe disposability.<br/><br/>Keywords: membrane, hydroxide, fuel cell, battery, solid electrolyte, alkaline, polymer<br/>Electrolyte
