Study on thermal conductivity of proton exchange membrane containing platinum particle

The presence of aggregated platinum in a proton exchange membrane (PEM) is inevitable due to the degradation and re-deposition of the platinum catalysts. While few studies focus on the thermal conductivity of PEM containing platinum particles. First of all, recent studies on the thermal conductivity of pure Nafion are reviewed. Subsequently, classical molecular dynamics is used to calculate the thermal conductivity of Nafion containing a platinum particle, with the effects of water content, particle size and particle number taken into consideration. It is found that thermal conductivity increases with the increase of water content. Increasing particle size and particle number both have negative effects on the thermal conductivity. Moreover, the total heat transfer is decomposed into the heat transfer between polymer chain atoms, that between atoms in small molecules, that between platinum atoms, and the coupled heat transfer of the above three parts. Based on the decomposition, the inherent mechanisms of these effects are revealed.