Enhancement of Chemical Stability of Sulfonated Polyvinylidene Fluoride Proton‐Conducting Membranes by Ceria Incorporation

Sulfonated polyvinylidene fluoride (SPVDF) membranes possess excellent thermal and mechanical properties, which make them suitable for use as polymer electrolyte membranes (PEMs) in fuel cells; however, they suffer from chemical degradation caused by hydroxyl (OH⋅) radicals generated during the fuel cell operation. To counter this, ceria (CeO 2 ) has been utilized as a radical scavenger; however, the influence of ceria incorporation on the chemical durability and overall performance of the SPVDF matrix remains unexplored. This study investigates the effect of ceria incorporation on the performance of SPVDF membranes as PEMs and their chemical stability through Fenton's test. A series of membranes was prepared by varying the ceria content (0–7 wt% w.r.t. SPVDF). The membranes with 7 wt% of ceria show enhanced resistance to OH⋅ radicals, retaining about 96% of their weight after a harsh 4 h Fenton's reagent test, as compared to 80% for the pristine SPVDF membranes. The sample with 2 wt% ceria shows an enhanced proton conductivity of ~32 mS/cm at 90°C and 100% relative humidity. Overall, this work presents a way to improve the performance of SPVDF membranes by incorporating ceria, which makes them a promising candidate for PEM applications.