Economic Polybenzimidazole (PBI) Ion-Exchange Membrane for High-Temperature Electroyzer and Fuel Cell, CHTEFCIEMPBI

Polybenzimidazole (PBI) is a high-performance polymer that has revolutionized electrochemical systems by enabling operation at "intermediate" to "high" temperatures (120°C to 200°C). While standard fuel cells (like Nafion-based PEMFCs) are limited to below 100°C, PBI-based systems offer significant advantages in both energy production (fuel cells) and hydrogen production (electrolyzers).

In high-temperature electrolyzer field, PBI is increasingly used in electrolysis to split water into hydrogen and oxygen more efficiently. Its features are: (1) Faster Kinetics: High temperatures reduce the "overpotential" (extra energy) needed to trigger the chemical reaction. (2) Thermal Integration: High-temperature electrolysis can use waste heat from industrial processes to provide part of the energy needed for the reaction, significantly lowering electricity costs. (3) Durability: PBI acts as a stable separator that prevents the product gases (H2 and O2) from mixing, which is a major safety requirement in high-pressure electrolysis.

In high-temperature fuel cell application, PBI allows the system to operate at 160°C–180°C. This higher temperature provides three game-changing benefits: (1) CO Tolerance: At 80°C, even 10 ppm of Carbon Monoxide (CO) can poison the platinum catalyst. At 180°C, the cell can tolerate up to 3% CO, allowing the use of less-pure hydrogen from reformed fuels (like methanol or natural gas). (2) Simplified Cooling: Because the cell is much hotter than the ambient air, the radiator size can be reduced by up to 50%. (3) Water Management: There is no "liquid water" to flood the pores; water is produced as steam and easily exhausted.

Part Number	CHTEFCIEMPBI (C-HTEFC-IEMPBI)
Chemical Structure
Appearance	Brown or Dark Brown
Dimension	T 40 um * L 100mm * W 100 mm (Other membrane sizes can be supplied upon request)
Ion Conductivity	80-105 mS/cm
Acid Absorption Amount	400 wt%
Tensile Strength	100-130 MPa
Thermal Stability	~350 °C
Package Grade	1 pcs/pack
Note	The membrane pack should be stored at 18-28°C and relative humidity is 30-70%.

References

(1）K. Likit-anurak, et al., Polybenzimidazole Membranes as Nafion Replacement in Aqueous HCl Electrolyzers, ACS Appl. Energy Mater. 2023, 6, 10, 5429–5434. 

(2) Q. Li, et al., PBI-Based Polymer Membranes for High Temperature Fuel Cells – Preparation, Characterization and Fuel Cell Demonstration, Fuel Cells, 2004, 4, 147-159.