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Membranes
Special Issues
Design and Characterization of Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells (PEMFCs)
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Design and Characterization of Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells (PEMFCs)

A special issue of Membranes (ISSN 2077-0375). This special issue belongs to the section "Membrane Fabrication and Characterization".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 28 February 2026 | Viewed by 1725

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Guobin Zhang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
MOE Key Laboratory of Thermo-Fluid Science and Engineering, School of Energy and Power Engineering, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710049, China
Interests: water and thermal management of fuel cells; modeling simulation; multiphysics field simulation of electrolytic cell; computational heat and mass transfer
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Nan Li

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Hebei Engineering Research Center for Low Carbon Development and Resource Utilization of Fossil Energy Sources, School of Vehicle and Energy, Yanshan University, Qinhuangdao 066004, China
Interests: efficient utilization of hydrogen energy; proton exchange membrane fuel cell; heat and mass transfer; solar pond
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Shuanyang Zhang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Mechanical and Automotive Engineering, Ningbo University of Technology, Ningbo 315211, China
Interests: multi-objective optimization of fuel cells; water and thermal management
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs), as a key technology for hydrogen energy utilization, are considered a primary power source for future new energy vehicles due to their environmental benefits, high energy density, and fast start–stop response. However, with the advancement of technology and the growing demand for applications, PEMFCs still face critical challenges related to lifespan, cost, and performance. These bottlenecks require further exploration by researchers.

This Special Issue will focus on the challenges related to the performance of the PEMFCs, discussing the latest advancements and innovative solutions in the preparation and characterization of proton exchange membranes; heat and mass transfer; and design optimization. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • material synthesis of membrane;
  • performance characterization of membrane;
  • advanced membranes material;
  • PEM fuel cell;
  • design and optimization;
  • heat and mass transfer;
  • hydrothermal management;
  • modeling and simulaiton.

We invite you to submit original research or review articles addressing the aforementioned themes, with the aim of exploring new methods and directions for enhancing the performance of PEMFCs. We look forward to your contributions and to fostering innovation in the field of proton exchange membrane fuel cells.

We eagerly anticipate your participation and submissions.

You may choose our Joint Special Issue in Energies.

Dr. Guobin Zhang
Prof. Dr. Nan Li
Dr. Shuanyang Zhang
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Membranes is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2200 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC)
  • material synthesis
  • design and optimization
  • advanced membrane material
  • heat and mass transfer
  • modeling and simulation
  • hydrothermal management

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

13 pages, 7189 KB  
Communication
Comparative Study on Structural and Transport Properties of SSC and LSC PFSA Ionomers in PEMFCs with Coexistence of O2 and N2: Molecular Dynamics Simulation Approach
by Guanghua Wei, Jingjing Huang, Lina Yu, Jinghao Zhou, Jiabin You, Zhu Ling, Shenrong Ye and Junliang Zhang
Membranes 2025, 15(11), 324; https://doi.org/10.3390/membranes15110324 - 22 Oct 2025
Viewed by 468
Abstract
Efficient O2 transport through the ionomer film in cathode catalyst layers (CCLs) is a critical factor for the output performance of proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs), yet the molecular mechanisms of gas transport in ionomers remain elusive. Herein, molecular dynamics (MDs) [...] Read more.
Efficient O2 transport through the ionomer film in cathode catalyst layers (CCLs) is a critical factor for the output performance of proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs), yet the molecular mechanisms of gas transport in ionomers remain elusive. Herein, molecular dynamics (MDs) simulations are employed to investigate short-side-chain (SSC) and long-side-chain (LSC) perfluorosulfonic acid (PFSA) ionomers on Pt/C surfaces with the coexistence of O2/N2. The results reveal that the side-chain structures significantly modulate the ionomer nanostructures and gas transport. SSC ionomers form compact hydrophobic domains and more interconnected hydrophilic–hydrophobic interfaces, thereby facilitating more efficient O2 transport pathways than LSC ionomers, particularly at low hydration (λ = 3). At high hydration (λ = 11), swelling of water domains attenuates these structural disparities and becomes the dominant factor governing gas transport. In addition, O2 diffusion consistently exceeds that of N2, while the diffusion coefficients of O2, N2 and H3O+ become larger at high hydration. Collectively, these findings demonstrate the structural advantages of SSC ionomers in facilitating coupled oxygen and proton transport, offering molecular-level insights to inform the rational design of high-performance PEMFCs. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Design and Characterization of Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells (PEMFCs))
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19 pages, 3044 KB  
Article
Fluorine-Free Membranes Consisting of a Blend of S-PVA and PEBAX 1657 for Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells: The Role of Titanium Dioxide Phosphate (TiO2PO4) Nanoparticle Fillers
by Manhal H. Ibrahim Al-Mashhadani, Gábor Pál Szijjártó, Asmaa Selim, Zoltán Sebestyén, Judith Mihály and András Tompos
Membranes 2025, 15(9), 280; https://doi.org/10.3390/membranes15090280 - 18 Sep 2025
Viewed by 710
Abstract
Novel blend membranes containing S-PVA and PEBAX 1657 at a blend ratio of 8:2 were doped with varying amounts of titanium dioxide phosphate (TiO2PO4) as a nanoparticle filler at concentrations of 0, 3, 5, and 7 wt%. The membranes [...] Read more.
Novel blend membranes containing S-PVA and PEBAX 1657 at a blend ratio of 8:2 were doped with varying amounts of titanium dioxide phosphate (TiO2PO4) as a nanoparticle filler at concentrations of 0, 3, 5, and 7 wt%. The membranes were fabricated using the solution-casting technique. The effect of the TiO2PO4 nanofiller on the polymer matrix was thoroughly investigated. Our aim was to investigate how the incorporation of TiO2PO4 nanofillers into non-fluorinated SPP-based membranes affects their structural, physicochemical, and electrochemical properties for application in fuel cells. Crystallinity of the samples was checked by means of X-ray diffraction (XRD), while FTIR was used to investigate the contact between the nanofiller and the polymers. The good compatibility resulted in strong interactions between the constituents and led to increased crystallinity of the membrane as well. Furthermore, SEM images confirmed the uniform distribution of the nanofiller. These structural features led to good thermal stability, as evidenced by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and good mechanical strength, as proved by tensile tests. Among the samples investigated, the highest water uptake of 51.70% was achieved on the composite membrane containing 3 wt% TiO2PO4, which also showed the highest ion exchange capacity at room temperature, reaching 1.13 meq/g. In line with these properties, among the synthesized membranes, the membrane labeled SPP 3% TiO2PO4 has the highest current density and power density, with values of 175.5 mA/cm2 and 61.52 mW/cm2, respectively. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Design and Characterization of Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells (PEMFCs))
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