4. Conclusion

The membrane of a fuel cell is one of its basic constituents, which does not simply behave passively to separate two media of different nature, but must actively contribute to the passage of the essential reagent, the proton, from the anode to the cathode. For the different families of ionomer materials, we have examined the mechanism(s) of proton transfer through the complex structure of polymer chains and their ionized environment, in strong relation with water for fluorosulfonated ionomers. A solid understanding of the ageing mechanisms of different ionomers has enabled us to develop methods for countering degradation and improving the longevity of these highly sophisticated materials, whose structure and refinement of physico-chemical interactions could not have been imagined in the middle of the last century.

As with other battery components, the prospects...