A highly stable reinforced PEM assisted by resveratrol and polydopamine-treated PTFE.

The need to reduce the cost of proton exchange membranes (PEMs) leads to less usage of perfluorinated sulfonic acid (PFSA), which would definitely result in a decline in the membrane lifespan under the attack of free radicals. In this study, polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) is used as a reinforced material to make a thinner composite membrane due to the poor mechanical strength of the pristine membrane. Moreover, a polydopamine (PD)-treated strategy was selected to make hydrophilic PTFE, which allows the adoption of a high-boiling point solvent for the dissolution of resveratrol, a natural antioxidant produced by plants that acts as a free radical scavenger (FRS) in the membrane to prevent the membrane from being attacked. With the help of dimethyl formamide (DMF), a high-boiling point solvent, and hydrophilic groups in PD molecules, a Nafion/PD@PTFE/resveratrol composite membrane with a thickness of 10μm was prepared and tested using an accelerated degradation test (ADT) strategy....