OXYGEN AND HYDROGEN GAS-PERMEABILITY OF PERFLUOROCARBONSULFONIC ACID MEMBRANES

The water uptake and the gas permeability of perfluorocarbonsulfonic acid membranes, Nafion(R)117 and Aciplex(R), which might be used for the polymer electrolyte fuel cell, were examined in water and fumidified gas. The water uptake of Aciplex(R) increased with increasing fumidified gas temperature and with increasing ion-exchange capacity of the membrane. The gas permeability coefficient increased with increasing ionexchange capacity of the membrane but changed only slightly with decreasing water uptake. It estimated that the gas passed through the interface between the amorphous domain and the inner water layer in the membrane.