Influences of crosslinked carboxylic acid monomers on the proton conduction characteristics of chitosan/SPVA composite membranes

Proton conductivity and dielectric studies on chitosan/polyvinyl alcohol blend electrolytes: Synergistic improvements with ionic liquid and graphene oxide

This study investigates the impact of ionic liquid, 1-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate (IL) and graphene oxide (GO) on the performance of chitosan/polyvinyl alcohol (CS/PVA)-based composite electrolytes. Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) confirm the successful incorporation of IL and GO, affecting the structural and morphological properties of the electrolytes. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) reveals enhanced thermal stability in GO-doped samples, with increased residual weight at high temperatures, while IL addition leads to higher initial weight loss due to its hygroscopic nature. Ionic conductivity measurements demonstrate that the CS/PVA/IL-GO(4.0) composite achieves the highest proton conductivity of 1.76 × 10-3 S/m at 300 K and 1 MHz, surpassing other samples and aligning with top values reported in literature. Dielectric studies show a significant increase in dielectric constant to 9.55 × 104 at 300 K and 20 Hz for CS/PVA/IL-GO(4.0), attributed to enhanced dipole alignment and polarization effects. The loss tangent analysis indicates the shortest relaxation time of 2.07 × 10-4 s for CS/PVA/IL-GO(4.0), correlating with its superior proton conductivity. These findings highlight the potential of CS/PVA/IL-GO electrolytes for advanced energy storage and conversion applications, suggesting further research into GO dispersion and long-term stability for optimized performance in practical devices.

Nata de Cassava Type of Bacterial Cellulose Doped with Phosphoric Acid as a Proton Exchange Membrane

This work aims to encourage the use of natural materials for advanced energy applications, such as proton exchange membranes in fuel cells. Herein, a new conductive membrane produced from cassava liquid waste was used to overcome environmental pollution and the global crisis of energy. The membrane was phosphorylated through a microwave-assisted method with different phosphoric acid, (H₃PO₄) concentrations (10-60 mmol). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD), dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), swelling behavior test, and contact angle measurement were carried out on the membrane doped with different H₃PO₄ levels. The phosphorylated NdC (nata de cassava) membrane doped with 20 mmol (NdC20) H₃PO₄ was successfully modified and significantly achieved proton conductivity (maximum conductivity up to 7.9 × 10^-2 S cm^-1 at 80 °C). In addition, the fabricated MEA was assembled using an NdC20 membrane with 60 wt% Pt/C loading of 0.5 mg cm^-2 for the anode and cathode. Results revealed that a high power density of 25 mW cm^-2 was obtained at 40 °C operating temperature for a single-cell performance test. Thus, this membrane has the potential to be used as a proton exchange membrane because it is environment-friendly and inexpensive for fuel cell applications.

Hybrid Composite Membrane of Phosphorylated Chitosan/Poly (Vinyl Alcohol)/Silica as a Proton Exchange Membrane

Chitosan is one of the natural biopolymers that has been studied as an alternative material to replace Nafion membranes as proton change membranes. Nevertheless, unmodified chitosan membranes have limitations including low proton conductivity and mechanical stability. The aim of this work is to study the effect of modifying chitosan through polymer blending with different compositions and the addition of inorganic filler on the microstructure and physical properties of N-methylene phosphonic chitosan/poly (vinyl alcohol) (NMPC/PVA) composite membranes. In this work, the NMPC biopolymer and PVA polymer are used as host polymers to produce NMPC/PVA composite membranes with different compositions (30-70% NMPC content). Increasing NMPC content in the membranes increases their proton conductivity, and as NMPC/PVA-50 composite membrane demonstrates the highest conductivity (8.76 × 10-5 S cm-1 at room temperature), it is chosen to be the base membrane for modification by adding hygroscopic silicon dioxide (SiO2) filler into its membrane matrix. The loading of SiO2 filler is varied (0.5-10 wt.%) to study the influence of filler concentration on temperature-dependent proton conductivity of membranes. NMPC/PVA-SiO2 (4 wt.%) exhibits the highest proton conductivity of 5.08 × 10-4 S cm-1 at 100 °C. In conclusion, the study shows that chitosan can be modified to produce proton exchange membranes that demonstrate enhanced properties and performance with the addition of PVA and SiO2.

Radiation-Grafted Anion-Exchange Membrane for Fuel Cell and Electrolyzer Applications: A Mini Review

This review discusses the roles of anion exchange membrane (AEM) as a solid-state electrolyte in fuel cell and electrolyzer applications. It highlights the advancement of existing fabrication methods and emphasizes the importance of radiation grafting methods in improving the properties of AEM. The development of AEM has been focused on the improvement of its physicochemical properties, including ionic conductivity, ion exchange capacity, water uptake, swelling ratio, etc., and its thermo-mechano-chemical stability in high-pH and high-temperature conditions. Generally, the AEM radiation grafting processes are considered green synthesis because they are usually performed at room temperature and practically eliminated the use of catalysts and toxic solvents, yet the final products are homogeneous and high quality. The radiation grafting technique is capable of modifying the hydrophilic and hydrophobic domains to control the ionic properties of membrane as well as its water uptake and swelling ratio without scarifying its mechanical properties. Researchers also showed that the chemical stability of AEMs can be improved by grafting spacers onto base polymers. The effects of irradiation dose and dose rate on the performance of AEM were discussed. The long-term stability of membrane in alkaline solutions remains the main challenge to commercial use.