Understanding Water Uptake and Transport in Nafion Using X-ray Microtomography

Publication Type

Journal Article

Date Published

04/2013

Authors

Gisuk Hwang, Dilworth Y. Parkinson, Ahmet Kusoglu, Alastair A. MacDowell, Adam Z. Weber

DOI

Abstract

To develop new ionomers and optimize existing ones, there is a need to understand their structure/function relationships experimentally. In this letter, synchrotron X-ray microtomography is used to examine water distributions within Nafion, the most commonly used ionomer. Simultaneous high spatial (~1 μm) and temporal (~10 min) resolutions, previously unattained by other techniques, clearly show the nonlinear water profile across the membrane thickness, with a continuous transition from dynamic to steady-state transport coefficients with the requisite water-content dependence. The data also demonstrate the importance of the interfacial condition in controlling the water profile and help to answer some long-standing debates in the literature.

Journal

ACS Macro Letters

Volume

2

Year of Publication

2013

Issue

4

ISSN

2161-1653

Organization

Research Areas

Laboratory

LBNL

Type

Legacy Papers, Materials, User Facilities