Fabrication of an anion exchange membrane with textured structure for enhanced performance of direct borohydride fuel cells

Developing electrolyte membranes with a simple preparation process and high performance is a top priority for the commercialization of fuel cells. Inspired by solar cell texturing to improve its conversion efficiency, this study prepares a textured membrane by increasing the roughness of a glass plate. The structures of the textured membrane and the flat membrane are characterized and compared. The membranes are assembled in fuel cells for performance testing. The surface area of the textured membrane is 1.27 times that of the flat membrane, which increases the size of the three-phase boundary in fuel cells. The maximum power density of the fuel cell using the textured membrane is 1.17 times of the cell using the flat membrane at 60 °C. The excellent performance of the cell using the textured membrane profit from the enlargement of the three-phase boundary. This work offers a simple way to develop outstanding-performance membranes by changing their surface roughness.