Polyelectrolyte Nanocomposite Membranes,Based on Chitosan-phosphotungstic Acid Complex and Montmorillonite for Fuel Cells Applications |
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| Authors: | Seyed Emadodin Shakeri Seyed Reza Ghaffarian Mahdi Tohidian Ghasem Bahlakeh Shahrouz Taranejoo |
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| Institution: | 1. Department of Polymer Engineering and Color Technology , Amirkabir University of Technology , Tehran , Iran;2. Department of Chemical Engineering , Amirkabir University of Technology , Tehran , Iran;3. Medical Nanotechnology and Tissue Engineering Research Center , Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences , Tehran , Iran |
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| Abstract: | A polyelectrolyte complex (PEC) of chitosan and phosphotungstic acid (PWA) was prepared and characterized as a proton-conducting membrane for direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) applications. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy showed the presence of stable PWA in PEC. To reduce the methanol permeability, several amounts of montmorilonite (MMT) nanoclays (trade name: Cloisite Na) were introduced to the system. The X-ray diffraction patterns of nanocomposite membranes proved the nanoclay layers were exfoliated in the membranes at loading weights of MMT lower than 3 wt%. Proton conductivity and methanol permeability were measured. According to the selectivity parameter—ratio of proton conductivity to methanol permeability—PEC containing 2 wt% MMT (PEC/2 wt% MMT) was identified as the optimum composition. Finally, DMFC performance tests were investigated at 70°C and 5 M methanol feed and the optimum membrane showed higher maximum power density in comparison with Nafion 117. The results indicated the optimum nanocomposite membrane is a promising polyelectrolyte membrane (PEM) for DMFC applications. |
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| Keywords: | chitosan fuel cell Nafion phosphotungstic acid polyelectrolyte complex |
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