The conductivity of fuel cell membranes as well as their mechanical properties at the nanometer scale were characterized using advanced tapping mode atomic force microscopy (AFM) techniques. AFM produces high-resolution images under continuous current flow of the conductive structure at the membrane surface and provides some insight into the bulk conducting network in Nafion membranes. The correlation of conductivity with other mechanical properties, such as adhesion force, deformation and stiffness, were simultaneously measured with the current and provided an indication of subsurface phase separations and phase distribution at the surface of the membrane. The distribution of conductive pores at the surface was identified by the formation of water droplets. A comparison of nanostructure models with high-resolution current images is discussed in detail.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.