Presentation: 2025 ND EPSCoR Annual conference
October 21, 2025, NDSU Memorial Union, Fargo, North Dakota
Novel Proton-exchange Membranes for Production of Electricity, Hydrogen and Value-added Chemicals at Elevated Temperatures
Xiangfa
Wu
Professor
North Dakota State University
Co-authors: OKSANA ZHOLOBKO (Research Assistant Professor), ABDUL SALAM, MUHAMMAD M. ASHFAQ (PhD Student), and JAMEEL AHMED (PhD Student)
Session
Concurrent Presentation Session A, Group 3
Hidatsa Room
This presentation is to summarize our recent experimental research efforts to develop innovative intermediate-temperature (IT) proton-exchange membranes (PEMs) for low-cost, high-efficiency, clean electrochemical energy conversion and value-added chemical production. Two types of innovative IT PEMs will be introduced, i.e., acid-doped polybenzimidazole membranes reinforced with surface-functionalized nanoparticles (NPs) with work temperature of up to 170oC and polymer-organic composite (PIC) membranes made of polybenzimidazole membranes reinforced with inorganic solid-state proton conductors with work temperature of up to 350oC, including their synthesis, performance characterizations, and applications IT hydrogen and direct ethanol fuel cells, water and biomass electrolysis, and low-pressure electrolytic ammonia synthesis. The promising future and technological challenges of the IT-PEMs for use in the ongoing clean energy technologies will be prospected and discussed.