Development and characterization of sulfonated olyethersulfone membrane as a potential material for direct methanol fuel cell
Sulfonated polyethersulfone membrane is one of the potential candidates to be use as an electrolyte for fuel cell application due to its high thermal resistance. With a high heat deflection temperature of 400°F (204°C), it can withstand continuous exposure to heat and still absorb tremendous impact...
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| Format: | Undergraduates Project Papers |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
2008
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| Online Access: | http://umpir.ump.edu.my/id/eprint/787/ http://umpir.ump.edu.my/id/eprint/787/1/Rosmainiza_Ibrahimi_Husaimi.pdf |
| Summary: | Sulfonated polyethersulfone membrane is one of the potential candidates to be use as an electrolyte for fuel cell application due to its high thermal resistance. With a high heat deflection temperature of 400°F (204°C), it can withstand continuous exposure to heat and still absorb tremendous impact without cracking or breaking. Sulfonated polyethersulfone membrane has been prepared by conducting sulfonation process with sulfuric acid as a sulfonating agent and then the polymer precipitated had been dissolved in N-Methyl-2-pyrrolidone. The functional groups of sulfonic acids have been successfully incorporated in the PES backbone and detected using FTIR at 1033cm -1 wavelength. Membranes with 35.7% degree of sulfonation possess water uptake at the room temperature of 13.1 wt% and the value of IEC is about 11.43 mmol/g. The water uptake of the sulfonated polyethersulfone membrane increased with temperature from 13.1 wt% up to 46 wt%. Meanwhile, the methanol uptake was increased with an increased in concentration from 14.9 wt% to 26.2 wt%. Membranes prepared from SPES showed lower decomposition temperature and have good properties to be applied as a membrane for DMFC. |
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