Enhanced Proton Conductivity of Sulfonated Poly(ether ether ketone) Membrane Embedded by Dopamine‐Modified Nanotubes for Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell

Abstract

Design and fabrication of alternative proton exchange membrane (PEM) with high proton conductivity is crucial to the commercial application of PEM fuel cell. Inspired by the bioadhesion principle, dopamine‐modified halloysite nanotubes (DHNTs) bearing –NH2 and –NH– groups are facilely synthesized by directly immersing natural halloysite nanotubes (HNTs) into dopamine aqueous solution under mild conditions. DHNTs are then embedded into sulfonated poly(ether ether ketone) (SPEEK) matrix to prepare hybrid membranes. HNTs‐filled hybrid membranes are prepared for comparison. The microstructure and physicochemical properties of the membranes are extensively investigated. Fourier transform infrared analysis implies that ordered acid–base pairs (e.g., –S–O–…+H–HN–, –S–O–…+H–N–) are formed at SPEEK–DHNT interface through strong electrostatic interaction. In such a way, continuous surface‐induced ion‐channels emerge along DHNTs. Although the incorporation of DHNTs reduces the channel size, water uptake, and area swelling of the hybrid membranes, which in turn would reduce the vehicle‐type proton transfer, the acid–base pairs create continuous pathways for fast proton transfer with low energy barrier via Grotthuss mechanism. Consequently, DHNT‐filled hybrid membrane with 15% DHNTs achieves a 30% increase in proton conductivity and a 52% increase in peak power density of single cell when compared with SPEEK control membrane, particularly.

Sulfonated graphene oxide/Nafion composite membranes for high temperature and low humidity proton exchange membrane fuel cells

“…1,9 Besides, Naon membrane exhibits high hydrogen permeability denoted to as high hydrogen crossover from the anode to cathode through PEM as a result of concentration gradient. 10,11 Accordingly, researchers are developing modied PFSA membranes or designing alternative PEMs. Incorporation of inorganic llers, such as SiO 2 , ZrO 2 , CeO 2 , ZnO 2 , TiO 2 and zeolite nanoparticles and ZrO 2 , CeO 2 and TiO 2 nanotubes, into the Naon matrix has been demonstrated to result in composite PEMs with promising water uptake and consequently proton conductivity at high temperature and low humidity.…”

“…The activation energy (E a ) required for the protons to travel through fabricated membranes was estimated using the Arrhenius eqn (11), as reported in the ref. 52 and 53.…”

Fabrication and physico-chemical properties of iron titanate nanoparticles based sulfonated poly (ether ether ketone) membrane for proton exchange membrane fuel cell application

“…However, reduction in its proton conductivity and mechanical stability at temperatures above 80°C and its high cost limit its usage for PEMFC [3]. In recent years, several kinds of proton exchange membranes such as, sulfonated poly (ether sulfone)s (SPES) [4], sulfonated poly(arylene ether sulfone) [5], sulfonated polyimides (SPI) [6], sulfonated polybenzimidazoles (SPBI) [7] and sulfonated poly(ether ether ketone)s (SPEEK) [8][9][10] have been investigated.…”

Anion exchange membranes from hot-pressed electrospun QPPO–SiO2 hybrid nanofibers for acid recovery

“…Recently, the electrospinning process has attracted wide attentions in fabricating membranes, which fabricates nanofibers with porous morphology and large specific surface area [18][19][20][21]. Through a simple hot-press treatment, the corresponding membranes can be formed and tend to be dense in macroscopic scale but loose in microscopic scale.…”