Proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) are promising clean energy conversion devices in residential, transportation, and portable applications. Currently, a high-pressure tank is the state-of-the-art mode of hydrogen storage; however, the energy cost, safety, and portability (or volumetric hydrogen storage capacity) presents a major barrier to the widespread dissemination of PEMFCs. Here we show an ‘all-polymer type’ rechargeable PEMFC (RCFC) that contains a hydrogen-storable polymer (HSP), which is a solid-state organic hydride, as the hydrogen storage media. Use of a gas impermeable SPP-QP (a polyphenylene-based PEM) enhances the operable time, reaching up to ca. 10.2 s mg_HSP⁻¹, which is more than a factor of two longer than that (3.90 s mg_HSP⁻¹) for a Nafion NRE-212 membrane cell. The RCFCs are cycleable, at least up to 50 cycles. The features of this RCFC system, including safety, ease of handling, and light weight, suggest applications in mobile, light-weight hydrogen-based energy devices.

质子交换膜燃料电池 (PEMFC) 是住宅、交通和便携式应用中很有前途的清洁能源转换设备。目前，高压罐是最先进的储氢方式；然而，能源成本、安全性和便携性（或体积储氢能力）是 PEMFC 广泛推广的主要障碍。在这里，我们展示了一种“全聚合物型”可充电 PEMFC (RCFC)，它包含一种固态有机氢化物储氢聚合物 (HSP) 作为储氢介质。使用不透气的 SPP-QP（一种基于聚亚苯基的 PEM）可延长可操作时间，最长可达 ca。10.2 s mg _HSP ^-1，比（3.90 s mg _HSP ^-1) 对于 Nafion NRE-212 膜电池。RCFC 是可循环的，至少可循环 50 次。这种 RCFC 系统的特点，包括安全、易于操作和重量轻，建议应用于移动、轻型氢基能源设备。