La synthèse de membranes polymères pour pile à combustible alcaline à cœur solide (SAFC) constitue l'objectif de ce travail. Ces membranes doivent présenter une conductivité des ions hydroxydes élevée, une haute stabilité thermique, une résistance chimique en particulier à la réaction d'élimination d'Hofmann, une insolubilité dans l'eau et une résistance mécanique suffisante pour permettre leur mise en forme et la réalisation d'assemblages membrane-électrode. Pour remplir ces critères, l'utilisation de copolymères alternés poly(chlorotrifluoroéthylène-alt-éther vinylique), poly(CTFE-alt-EV), porteurs de groupements ammonium quaternaire a été considérée. Différents éthers vinyliques fonctionnels ou fonctionnalisables ont été obtenus par transéthérification catalysée par le palladium avec des taux de conversion supérieurs à 80 %. La copolymérisation radicalaire de ces monomères avec le CTFE a permis d'obtenir des copolymères dont l'alternance a été vérifiée par analyse élémentaire et spectroscopie RMN, et dont les propriétés physico-chimiques et thermiques ont été étudiées par des techniques variées. Différentes méthodes de fonctionnalisation ont été mises en place et ont permis d'obtenir plusieurs copolymères poly(CTFE-alt-EV) originaux porteurs de groupements ammonium quaternaire non sensibles à la dégradation d'Hofmann et présentant une stabilité thermique satisfaisante pour un usage en pile à combustible. Dans l'optique d'améliorer les propriétés mécaniques de ce type de matériau, des terpolymères ont été synthétisés avec un pourcentage variable de vinyloxy-1H,1H,2H,2H-perfluorodécane, un éther vinylique fluoré. Ce dernier a permis l'augmentation de la masse molaire des terpolymères, la diminution de leur température de transition vitreuse et l'amélioration de leurs propriétés filmogènes. / The synthesis of polymeric membranes for solid alkaline fuel cells is the main topic of this work. These membranes have to exhibit several properties such as: a high hydroxide ion conductivity, a high thermal stability, a good chemical resistance especially to Hofmann degradation, a water-insolubility and mechanical properties suitable for the preparation of a membrane-electrode assembly. To fulfill these requirements, the use of alternated copolymers based on chlorotrifluoroethylene and vinyl ethers (poly(CTFE-alt-VE)) bearing quaternary ammonium groups has been considered. First, various functional or functionalizable vinyl ethers have been synthesized by palladium-catalyzed transetherification with a conversion rate higher than 80%. These monomers have been successfully copolymerized with CTFE and the good alternation of these monomers has been evidenced by elemental analysis and NMR spectroscopy. Furthermore, their physical, chemical and thermal properties have been studied by several techniques. Various functionalization steps have been carried out, yielding original poly(CTFE-alt-VE) copolymers bearing quaternary ammonium groups non sensitive to Hofmann degradation and with high thermal stabilities suitable for fuel cells. To improve the mechanical properties of these materials, terpolymers containing an increasing amount of 1H,1H,2H,2H-perfluorodecyl vinyl ether have been synthesized. Such terpolymers exhibited higher molecular weights, lower glass transition temperatures, and improved film-forming properties compared to the equivalent copolymers.

A reação de redução de oxigênio (RRO) foi estudada em eletrodos lisos de platina e prata recobertos com filmes de quitosana e em eletrodos porosos de Pt/C, Ag/C, MnyOx/C e TiO2/C na ausência e na presença de filmes à base de quitosana, em eletrólito alcalino. Nestes estudos foram empregadas curvas de polarização em estado estacionário, obtidas em eletrodos de disco rotatório (EDR) e em células a combustível alcalina (CCA) unitárias, através das quais foram construídos os correspondentes diagramas de curvas de Tafel e os gráficos de Levich. Os estudos realizados em EDRs permitiram estabelecer-se uma boa compreensão da atividade catalítica e dos mecanismos envolvidos na RRO. Foi observada uma diminuição da atividade eletrocatalítica dos eletrodos metálicos (Pt e Ag lisos e porosos) quando na presença dos filmes de quitosana, havendo também uma mudança no mecanismo da reação. Assim, nos experimentos de EDR verificou-se que em altas densidades de corrente a etapa determinante da velocidade é a adsorção do oxigênio, em contraste com os eletrodos sem o filme para os quais a etapa determinante é a difusão do oxigênio. Nestes casos não foi possível calcular o número de elétr. Já, nos casos dos eletrodos de MnyOx/C e TiO2/C não foi observada nenhuma diminuição significativa na atividade eletrocatalítica destes materiais na presença dos filmes de quitosana, assim como no mecanismo da reação na presença dos filmes (inclusive no número de elétrons envolvidos na reação), apesar de se notar um pequeno aumento nos valores dos coeficientes de Tafel. Foram também realizados testes de alguns dos materiais como cátodos em células a combustível alcalinas unitárias alimentadas com hidrogênio/oxigênio, tendo sido verificado que o desempenho é promissor, apesar de ser inferior ao de células com eletrólito de membrana ácidas. / The oxygen reduction reaction was studied on smooth platinum and silver electrodes recovered with chitosan films and on Pt/C, Ag/C, MnyOx/C e TiO2/C porous electrodes in the presence or absence of chitosan-based films in alkaline electrolyte. These studies were carried out using steady state polarization measurement, obtained in a rotating disc electrode (RDE) and in alkaline fuel cells (AFC) (single cell), from which the corresponding Tafel curves and Levich plots were built. The studies carried out using the RDE had allowed establishing a good understanding of the catalytic activity and of the involved RRO mechanisms. A reduction in the electrocatalytic activity of the metallic electrodes and a change in the reaction mechanism (Pt and Ag smooth and porous) were caused by the presence of the chitosan films Thus, the RDE experiments showed that at high current densities the rate determining step of the ORR is the oxygen adsorption, in contrast to the electrodes without the film for which the rate determining step is the oxygen diffusion. In these cases it was not possible to calculate the number of electrons involved in the reaction. In the cases of the MnyOx/C and TiO2/C electrodes no significant change in the electrocatalytic activity, as well as in the reaction mechanism were caused due to the presence of the films (also in the number of electrons involved in the reaction), although a small increase in the Tafel coefficient values was noted. Also, tests of some of the materials as cathodes in AFC single cells with hydrogen/oxygen were carried out. These results showed that the performance is promising, although inferior to those of acid membrane electrolyte fuel cells.

The subject of this graduation thesis is low-cost alkaline power cells and especially electrodes with alternative catalyst made of MnOx + dopant. The thesis expands the bachelor´s thesis [1] and previous research [4] [12] [13] [14]. Volt-ampere characteristics and power characteristics of the katodes for AFC, subsidized with various dopants, are the outcome of this project. The project presents the optimalisation of preparation process of AFC electrodes. The aim is to prepair several electrodes with identical construction, which varies only with the type of the dopant.

Construed bachelor work features into problems hydrogen fuel articles and survey on low-temperature fuell elements with polymeric electrolyte (PEMFC). Basic sight work is study feature catalyzers on base MnOx on real fuel cell type PEMFC. Exit are then measured characteristic this way creation fuel cell.