Reversible adsorption and sieving of trace NH3 from NH3-H2 fuel cells systems using sulfonated porous polydivinylbenzene

Abstract

Trace ammonia reversible adsorption and sieving using solid adsorbents present a critical challenge in the practical deployment of ammonia-hydrogen fuel cells. Herein, we design porous polydivinylbenzene (P-PDVB) through one-pot solvothermal polymerization without additional templates. Subsequently, solvent-induced network swelling was performed to achieve deep sulfonation of the P-PDVB using chlorosulfonic acid, resulting in P-PDVB-SO₃H-x, which possess large specific surface areas, abundant micro-mesoporosity, and high acid site densities. Notably, P-PDVB-SO₃H-x demonstrate superior performance for the selective capture and sieving of NH₃ from an N₂/H₂/NH₃ mixture, outperforming most previously reported NH₃ adsorbents. Thus, P-PDVB-SO₃H-x can serve as an efficient adsorbent for the selective removal of trace ammonia from ammonia-hydrogen fuel cell systems, significantly improving both the efficiency and longevity of the fuel cells. This work highlights the potential of P-PDVB-SO₃H-x as a promising candidate for enhancing ammonia-hydrogen fuel cell performance, paving the way for further exploration of advanced adsorbent materials in energy applications.