4. Current challenges for hydrogen materials

4.1 Challenges in polymer development

To date, the main challenges facing proton-conducting membrane fuel cell technology are to cover the widest possible temperature range with acceptable performance, to achieve stability over several thousand hours of operation, and to be able to operate with a minimum of peripherals, e.g. without humidification of the gases feeding the cell. It also appears that no single membrane design can yet meet the specifications of all the applications envisaged for fuel cells, and that it will probably be necessary to make concessions on non-essential properties for each application.

The most critical selection criterion is certainly the operating temperature. Above 100°C, the membrane must be able to operate in anhydrous conditions,...