Methanol crossover and selectivity of nafion/heteropolyacid/montmorillonite nanocomposite proton exchange membranes for DMFC applications

In this work, we prepared the nafion/montmorillonite/heteropolyacid nanocomposite membranes for direct methanol fuel cells (DMFCs). The analyses such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were conducted to characterize the filler disper...

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Main Authors: M. Azimi, S.J. Peighambardoust
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Iranian Association of Chemical Engineering (IAChE) 2017-08-01
Series:Iranian Journal of Chemical Engineering
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Online Access:https://www.ijche.com/article_51452_c03c219fc3e79e8e9c3043353f2d996d.pdf
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author M. Azimi
S.J. Peighambardoust
author_facet M. Azimi
S.J. Peighambardoust
author_sort M. Azimi
collection DOAJ
description In this work, we prepared the nafion/montmorillonite/heteropolyacid nanocomposite membranes for direct methanol fuel cells (DMFCs). The analyses such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were conducted to characterize the filler dispersion and membrane structure in prepared nanocomposite membranes. XRD patterns of nafion-CsPW-MMT nanocomposites membranes showed the exfoliated structure of membranes by adding MMT and CsPW. SEM-EDXA results showed proper dispersion of nanoparticles in the membrane matrices. Addition of CsPW-MMT to nafion membranes increases water uptake and IEC due to increase hydrophilic groups in membranes. The proton conductivity results showed that proton conductivity increases by increasing amount of CsPW and decreasing of clay content in the membrane. Methanol crossover through polymer electrolyte membranes is a critical issue and causes an important reduction of performance in DMFCs. The developed intercalated nafion/CsPW/MMT nanocomposite membranes have successfully improved the membrane barrier properties due to the unique feature of MMT which contributed to the formation of a longer pathway towards methanol across the membrane. The lowest methanol crossover of the developed membranes in this study was 1.651×10-6 cm2 s-1 which was lower than re-cast nafion membrane (2.078×10-6 cm2 s-1). The methanol permeability was significantly reduced by the incorporation of MMT and increased by addition of CsPW in the nafion membrane. Finally, according to the selectivity results, the nafion-MMT-CsPW nanocomposite membrane with MMT mass fraction of 2.5% and CsPW mass fraction of 8% shows the best membrane selectivity and this nanocomposite membrane could be suitable for application in DMFCs.
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spelling doaj-art-febc39262fdb431ea0f3e2a7bc2917a12025-08-20T03:13:38ZengIranian Association of Chemical Engineering (IAChE)Iranian Journal of Chemical Engineering1735-53972008-23552017-08-01143658151452Methanol crossover and selectivity of nafion/heteropolyacid/montmorillonite nanocomposite proton exchange membranes for DMFC applicationsM. Azimi0S.J. Peighambardoust1Faculty of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, University of Tabriz, P. O. Box: 51666-16471, Tabriz, IranFaculty of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, University of Tabriz, P. O. Box: 51666-16471, Tabriz, IranIn this work, we prepared the nafion/montmorillonite/heteropolyacid nanocomposite membranes for direct methanol fuel cells (DMFCs). The analyses such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were conducted to characterize the filler dispersion and membrane structure in prepared nanocomposite membranes. XRD patterns of nafion-CsPW-MMT nanocomposites membranes showed the exfoliated structure of membranes by adding MMT and CsPW. SEM-EDXA results showed proper dispersion of nanoparticles in the membrane matrices. Addition of CsPW-MMT to nafion membranes increases water uptake and IEC due to increase hydrophilic groups in membranes. The proton conductivity results showed that proton conductivity increases by increasing amount of CsPW and decreasing of clay content in the membrane. Methanol crossover through polymer electrolyte membranes is a critical issue and causes an important reduction of performance in DMFCs. The developed intercalated nafion/CsPW/MMT nanocomposite membranes have successfully improved the membrane barrier properties due to the unique feature of MMT which contributed to the formation of a longer pathway towards methanol across the membrane. The lowest methanol crossover of the developed membranes in this study was 1.651×10-6 cm2 s-1 which was lower than re-cast nafion membrane (2.078×10-6 cm2 s-1). The methanol permeability was significantly reduced by the incorporation of MMT and increased by addition of CsPW in the nafion membrane. Finally, according to the selectivity results, the nafion-MMT-CsPW nanocomposite membrane with MMT mass fraction of 2.5% and CsPW mass fraction of 8% shows the best membrane selectivity and this nanocomposite membrane could be suitable for application in DMFCs.https://www.ijche.com/article_51452_c03c219fc3e79e8e9c3043353f2d996d.pdfnafionheteropolyacidmontmorilloniteproton exchange membranemethanol crossoverselectivitydirect methanol fuel cell
spellingShingle M. Azimi
S.J. Peighambardoust
Methanol crossover and selectivity of nafion/heteropolyacid/montmorillonite nanocomposite proton exchange membranes for DMFC applications
Iranian Journal of Chemical Engineering
nafion
heteropolyacid
montmorillonite
proton exchange membrane
methanol crossover
selectivity
direct methanol fuel cell
title Methanol crossover and selectivity of nafion/heteropolyacid/montmorillonite nanocomposite proton exchange membranes for DMFC applications
title_full Methanol crossover and selectivity of nafion/heteropolyacid/montmorillonite nanocomposite proton exchange membranes for DMFC applications
title_fullStr Methanol crossover and selectivity of nafion/heteropolyacid/montmorillonite nanocomposite proton exchange membranes for DMFC applications
title_full_unstemmed Methanol crossover and selectivity of nafion/heteropolyacid/montmorillonite nanocomposite proton exchange membranes for DMFC applications
title_short Methanol crossover and selectivity of nafion/heteropolyacid/montmorillonite nanocomposite proton exchange membranes for DMFC applications
title_sort methanol crossover and selectivity of nafion heteropolyacid montmorillonite nanocomposite proton exchange membranes for dmfc applications
topic nafion
heteropolyacid
montmorillonite
proton exchange membrane
methanol crossover
selectivity
direct methanol fuel cell
url https://www.ijche.com/article_51452_c03c219fc3e79e8e9c3043353f2d996d.pdf
work_keys_str_mv AT mazimi methanolcrossoverandselectivityofnafionheteropolyacidmontmorillonitenanocompositeprotonexchangemembranesfordmfcapplications
AT sjpeighambardoust methanolcrossoverandselectivityofnafionheteropolyacidmontmorillonitenanocompositeprotonexchangemembranesfordmfcapplications