De Nora S.p.a.

Antonino Arico'

Vincenzo Antonucci

The invention concerns a proton exchange membrane comprising a perfluorosulfonic acid having silica particles embedded therein in a concentration by weight comprised between 0.01 and 50% by weight and dimensions comprised between 0.001 and 10 micrometers, characterized in that said membrane comprises both an amorphous and a crystalline phase and the ratio thereof is adjusted by means of a controlled thermal treatment at a temperature higher than the glass transition temperature, controlled by an X-ray spectrometer. The invention further concerns an electrochemical cell using said membrane, in particular a fuel cell and the method of operating the same.

Polymeric membrane electrochemical cell operating at temperatures above 100 c

A proton exchange membrane comprising a perfluorosulfonic acid having silica particles embedded therein at a concentration of 0.01 to 5% by weight, said particles having a dimension of 0.001 to 10 micrometers, the membrane having a crystalline phase and an amorphous phase in a ratio adjusted by controlled thermal treatment at a temperature higher than the glass transition temperature, an electrochemical cell containing said membrane and a process for oxidizing a fuel in said electrochemical cell.

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S. Marco D'Alunzio, Italy

Antonino Arico'