Résumé
Current PEMFC technology is based on poly(perfluoro sulfonic acid) (PFSA) membranes, due to their performance and stability.1 The rising concerns about per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in the last few years have resulted in several restrictions in their use because of their toxicity and accumulation. Although the energy and transport sectors are not subject to these restrictions so far, the development of novel sustainable membranes approaching the properties of PFSA becomes crucial.Although non-fluorinated polyaromatic ionomers have long been studied for PEMFC application,2,3 in most cases they do not present simultaneously high performance and durability. Among them, sulfonated polyaryletherketones (PAEKs) are high performance semi-crystalline polymers that have been extensively developed for PEMFC membranes. Nonetheless, these polymers and especially sulfonated PEEK (sPEEK) exhibit a high and irreversible swelling at high sulfonation degrees.4 Such low dimensional stability impacts the performance and the durability of the corresponding membranes and therefore has to be avoided or mitigated.5, 6 With this aim, we developed several approaches to increase membrane stability toward water and humidity.In order to increase mechanical and dimensional stability of sPEEK membranes, the electrospinning technique was used to fabricate polymer nanofiber webs to be used as reinforcement.7 The characterization of these nanocomposite membranes will be presented with particular emphasis on their ionic conductivity, mechanical properties and dimensional stability.This work was carried within the framework of the collaboration between MFP Michelin (Manufacture Française des Pneumatiques Michelin) and the CNRS (Centre National de Recherche Scientifique) within the HydrogenLab. Kusoglu, A. & Weber, A. Z. Rev. (2017) 117, 987–1104.Rozière, D. J. Jones , Annu. Rev. Mater. Res. (2003) 33, 503 – 555.J. Jones, J. Rozière, J. Membr. Sci. (2001) 185 41 – 58.J. Andersen, R. B. Moore, Solid State Ionics, (2019) 336 47-56.Daoudi, E. Ferri, C. Tougne, A. El Kaddouri, J.-C. Perrin, J. Dillet, L. Gonon, V. Mareau, H. Mendil-Jakani, V. Dufaud, E. Espuche, O. Lottin, J. Polymer Sci., (2023) 62761-776.Gi-Chul Park, D. Kim, Polymer (2021) 218 Sood, S. Cavaliere, D. J. Jones, J. Rozière, Nano Energy (2016) 26, 729–745.