Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Wei Wuen Ng, Hui San Thiam, Yean Ling Pang, Kok Chung Chong, Soon Onn Lai
Summary: This paper discusses the research findings on developing Nafion-based membranes for DMFC, including functional requirements, transport mechanisms, and preparation strategies. The effect of various modification approaches on the performance of the Nafion membrane is highlighted. The feasibility of these membranes for DMFC applications and the current challenges are also discussed.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Lukka Thuyavan Yogarathinam, Juhana Jaafar, Ahmad Fauzi Ismail, Pei Sean Goh, Arthanareeswaran Gangasalam, Mohamad Fahrul Radzi Hanifah, Kar Chun Wong, Mahesan Naidu Subramaniam, Jerome Peter
Summary: Nanostructured materials, such as polyaniline coated activated boron nitride, have been embedded in sulfonated poly (ether ether ketone) membranes to enhance proton conductivity and reduce methanol permeability in direct methanol fuel cell applications. The addition of functionalized boron nitride improves water uptake, ion exchange capacity, and chemical stability of the membranes, while significantly reducing methanol permeability. These nanocomposite membranes exhibit improved performance compared to commercial Nafion membranes, with higher open circuit voltage and power density.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL CHEMICAL ENGINEERING
(2021)
Review
Polymer Science
Gowthami Palanisamy, Tae Hwan Oh, Sadhasivam Thangarasu
Summary: A direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) is an excellent energy device that converts methanol to energy with high efficiency. Commercial membranes for DMFCs are expensive and have high methanol permeability, but novel developments using cost-effective cellulose-based materials have improved performance. In this review, the advances and utilization of different cellulose materials as proton-exchange membranes (PEMs) for DMFCs are discussed, including cellulose derivatives and composites with inorganic additives.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Nagaraju Niluroutu, Avanish Shukla, Vishal M. Dhavale, Sreekuttan M. Unni, Santoshkumar D. Bhat
Summary: The composite membrane of sPEEK and PSSA-f-MCM-41 shows improved physio-chemical properties, reduced methanol permeability, and higher electrochemical selectivity, resulting in better DMFC performance.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF HYDROGEN ENERGY
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Yichen Yin, Sijia Liu, Yang Yang, Dian Gong, Minghao Liu, Guojuan Liu, Ping Wu, Qing Xu, Chengbing Yu, Gaofeng Zeng
Summary: Water electrolysis is a promising method for producing non-fossil fuel derived H2, and medium temperature water (steam) electrolysis (100-350 degrees C) has great potential due to its reduced energy consumption and utilization of low-grade waste heat. However, the performance of proton conductive membranes presents a challenge. In this study, a PVC-PEI hybrid membrane was developed by cross-linking PVC and PEI, and the integrated nitrogen-containing groups of PEI enhanced the adsorption and loading rate of phosphoric acid, thereby providing proton conductivity for the hybrid membrane. The optimized PVC-PEI membrane achieved a maximum proton conductivity of 4.3 x 10-2 S cm-1 at 180 degrees C and exhibited long-term conductivity stability for 200 hours at 140 degrees C. The PVC-PEI membrane electrode assembly showed high water electrolysis reactivity in the range of 100-180 degrees C with a commercial IrO2 anode and Pt/C cathode, and demonstrated reliable stability for water electrolysis at 140 degrees C.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF HYDROGEN ENERGY
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
F. Altaf, S. Ahmed, D. Dastan, R. Batool, Z. U. Rehman, Z. Shi, M. U. Hameed, P. Bocchetta, K. Jacob
Summary: Methanol permeation is the main issue of Nafion membranes in direct methanol fuel cells. In this study, novel nanocomposite polymer membranes are prepared by integrating surface-modified sepiolite in PVDF-g-PS copolymer. The analysis shows that the prepared membranes exhibit high proton conductivity and low methanol permeability.
MATERIALS TODAY CHEMISTRY
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Harilal, Avanish Shukla, Prakash Chandra Ghosh, Tushar Jana
Summary: The study successfully enhanced the structural and mechanical stability of pyridine-bridged oxypolybenzimidazole (PyOPBI) membranes in concentrated phosphoric acid, and significantly improved proton conductivity by incorporating bulky substituents and flexible aryl ether backbones. The membranes exhibited good stability and high proton conductivity at high temperatures, attributed to the bulky pendent groups and flexible backbone, showing promising potential for advanced PBI-based HT-PEM fuel cells.
ACS APPLIED ENERGY MATERIALS
(2021)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Hazlina Junoh, Juhana Jaafar, Nik Abdul Hadi M. Nordin, Ahmad F. Ismail, Mohd H. D. Othman, Mukhlis A. Rahman, Farhana Aziz, Norhaniza Yusof, Syarifah Noor S. Sayed Daud
Summary: Porous poly ether sulfone (PES) membranes were prepared using two different solvents via dry/wet non-solvent phase inversion techniques, with membranes prepared using DMAc at 3 minutes solvent evaporation time showing desirable properties for proton conduction and methanol resistance.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENERGY RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Hongying Tang, Ge Chao, Jian Gao, Yuntao Shang, Nanwen Li, Kang Geng
Summary: By blending Tro center dot ger's base (TB) membrane with a microporous polymer (PIM-1), the microporosity of the membrane can be fine-tailored to mitigate phosphoric acid leakage in high temperature proton exchange membranes (PEMs). The resulting PIM/TB9 membrane exhibits excellent phosphoric acid retention ability, high proton conductivity, and stable performance over extended periods.
JOURNAL OF POWER SOURCES
(2023)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Andrea Basso Peressut, Saverio Latorrata, Paola Gallo Stampino, Giovanni Dotelli
Summary: This study presents a simple method for preparing self-assembling sulfonated graphene oxide membranes, investigating the effect of different sulfuric acid-to-graphene oxide ratios to find an optimal sulfonation interval. The membranes exhibit notable water-retaining and proton-exchanging properties, making them worthy of further optimization for potential use as electrolytes in PEM fuel cells.
MATERIALS CHEMISTRY AND PHYSICS
(2021)
Article
Polymer Science
Rabiranjan Murmu, Debashis Roy, Sarat Chandra Patra, Harekrushna Sutar, Pragyan Senapati
Summary: By filling the polymer membrane with silica, it is possible to increase the proton conductivity at medium to higher temperatures, reduce methanol permeability, and increase membrane selectivity, which is beneficial for the design of direct methanol fuel cells.
Article
Electrochemistry
Amirsalar Bagherzadeh, Mahdi Tohidian, Yeganeh Mollamohammadi Sadafi, Amirsaeed Shamsabadi, Hesam Makki
Summary: Polyelectrolyte membranes (PEMs) containing chitosan and Nafion were prepared for DMFC application. The addition of Nafion increased the Tg and decreased the crystallinity of the chitosan matrix due to the interaction between -SO3H groups in Nafion and -NH2 groups in chitosan. The PEMs with higher Nafion loading weight exhibited higher proton conductivity and methanol permeability, and the membrane with 25 wt% Nafion showed comparable selectivity parameter to neat Nafion. A maximum power density of 39 mW cm(-2) was achieved for this membrane in DMFC performance test.
JOURNAL OF THE ELECTROCHEMICAL SOCIETY
(2023)
Article
Polymer Science
Kumar Divya, Dipak Rana, Laila Rameesha, Meenakshi Sundram Sri Abirami Saraswathi, Alagumalai Nagendran
Summary: Custom-made nanocomposite proton exchange membranes using sulfonated chitosan and sulfonated graphene oxide exhibited superior proton conductivity and selectivity for direct methanol fuel cells. The enhanced hydrophilicity and ion exchange capacity of the membranes contributed to the improved performance.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED POLYMER SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Alejandro Gutierrez-Sanchez, Juan C. Ruiz-Segura, Ana L. Ocampo-Flores, Josefina de Gyves
Summary: A series of organic-inorganic hybrid proton exchange membranes were prepared using Ph-m-SPEEKK/polysiloxanes. The crosslinked membranes showed decreased methanol permeability and increased proton conductivity compared to non-crosslinked membranes, with the addition of crosslinked polysiloxane phase. In a single DMFC test, the membrane with 20 wt% of PSP content achieved a higher power density compared to Nafion 117 and the pristine membranes.
SOLID STATE IONICS
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
S. A. Muhmed, Juhana Jaafar, S. N. A. Ahmad, M. H. Mohamed, A. F. Ismail, H. Ilbeygi, M. H. D. Othman, Mukhlis A. Rahman
Summary: A novel organic-inorganic nanocomposite membrane incorporating sulfonated holey graphene oxide (SHGO) into the nanocrystalline cellulose/polyvinyl alcohol (NCC/PVA) matrix as a polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) was prepared using a solution casting method. The introduction of sulfonic acid groups in graphene oxide (GO) resulted in sulfonated graphene oxide (SGO), and the hole effect of GO in SHGO significantly improved the proton conductivity of the membranes by facilitating proton transfer. The highest proton conductivity of 1.1 x 10-2 S cm-1 was achieved by NCC/PVA-SHGO-1.0 at 80℃ under 100% relative humidity (RH). Mechanical and chemical stability tests showed enhanced properties, although there was a slight increase in hydrogen permeation due to the hole effect. Increasing the loading of SHGO in NCC/PVA improved its properties and performance. At 80℃, under 100% RH, NCC/PVA-SHGO-1.0 exhibited the highest power density and current density of 31.4 mW/cm2 and 60.2 mA/cm2, respectively, which were three times higher than those of pristine NCC/PVA. This study demonstrates that incorporating SHGO into NCC/PVA membranes significantly improves their properties, performance, and durability, making them potential candidates for PEMs.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL CHEMICAL ENGINEERING
(2023)
