Measuring Material Properties of Proton Exchange Membranes using Pressure Loaded Blister Testing and Digital Image Correlation

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dc.contributor.authorSiuta, Chase Michaelen
dc.contributor.committeechairCase, Scott W.en
dc.contributor.committeememberLi, Yongqiangen
dc.contributor.committeememberEllis, Michael W.en
dc.contributor.committeememberDillard, David A.en
dc.contributor.departmentEngineering Science and Mechanicsen
dc.date.accessioned2017-04-04T19:49:46Zen
dc.date.adate2011-09-08en
dc.date.available2017-04-04T19:49:46Zen
dc.date.issued2011-08-11en
dc.date.rdate2016-10-18en
dc.date.sdate2011-08-24en
dc.description.abstractThe strength and durability of proton exchange membranes for use in fuel cells has received much attention recently due to the increased push for sustainable alternatives to the internal combustion engine. To be viable, these alternatives must have comparable lifetimes and power outputs to the internal combustion engines they replace. Chemical degradation was once viewed as the most common culprit of early fuel cell failure, but as membranes and catalysts improved, mechanical failure became an important factor. As a result, fundamental research on the mechanically-induced failure mechanisms of fuel cell membranes, coupled with development and processing of less expensive membranes, has become an important topic. The use of the blister test geometry, along with digital image correlation of the deformed shape, creates a self-contained analysis tool useful for measuring the biaxial strength of membranes. In this work, blister tests are used to measure biaxial stress and strain for fuel cell membranes subjected to ramped pressure loading to form stress-strain curves that indicate the onset of yielding under biaxial stress conditions. Stress-life curves are developed experimentally for Gore-Selec? series 57 members using data collected under constant pressure conditions. These results are used to predict blister failure under ramped and fatigue loadings. A newly implemented hydrocarbon membrane system is evaluated with constant-pressure-to-leak blister testing. Improved strength following an isothermal hold at 100°C (pretreatment) is shown to occur. Ramped pressure testing indicates that the material after the pretreatment is stiffer and has a higher yield stress than the material before treatment. Morphological and constitutive characterization indicated differences in the materials that are consistent with the improved performance.en
dc.description.degreeMaster of Scienceen
dc.identifier.otheretd-08242011-181306en
dc.identifier.sourceurlhttp://scholar.lib.vt.edu/theses/available/etd-08242011-181306/en
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10919/76858en
dc.language.isoen_USen
dc.publisherVirginia Techen
dc.rightsIn Copyrighten
dc.rights.urihttp://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/en
dc.subjectbiaxial strengthen
dc.subjectpressure-loaded blister testen
dc.subjectproton exchange membraneen
dc.subjectdigital image correlationen
dc.subjecthydrocarbon membraneen
dc.subjectPFCBen
dc.subjectlinear damage accumulationen
dc.titleMeasuring Material Properties of Proton Exchange Membranes using Pressure Loaded Blister Testing and Digital Image Correlationen
dc.typeThesisen
dc.type.dcmitypeTexten
thesis.degree.disciplineEngineering Science and Mechanicsen
thesis.degree.grantorVirginia Polytechnic Institute and State Universityen
thesis.degree.levelmastersen
thesis.degree.nameMaster of Scienceen

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