Sulfonated Polysulfone/TiO2(B) Nanowires Composite Membranes as Polymer Electrolytes in Fuel Cells Articles uri icon

publication date

  • June 2021

start page

  • 1

end page

  • 19

issue

  • 12

volume

  • 13

International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)

  • 2073-4360

abstract

  • New proton conducting membranes based on sulfonated polysulfone (sPSU) reinforced
    with TiO2
    (B) nanowires (1, 2, 5 and 10 wt.%) were synthesized and characterized. TiO2
    (B) nanowires
    were synthesized by means of a hydrothermal method by mixing TiO2 precursor in aqueous solution
    of NaOH as solvent. The presence of the TiO2
    (B) nanowires into the polymer were confirmed
    by means of Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy, Fourier transform infrared and X-ray
    diffraction. The thermal study showed an increase of almost 20 ◦C in the maximum temperature
    of sPSU backbone decomposition due to the presence of 10 wt.% TiO2
    (B) nanowires. Water uptake
    also is improved with the presence of hydrophilic TiO2
    (B) nanowires. Proton conductivity of
    sPSU with 10 wt.% TiO2
    (B) nanowires was 21 mS cm−1
    (at 85 ◦C and 100% RH). Under these
    experimental conditions the power density was 350 mW cm−2
    similar to the value obtained for
    Nafion 117. Considering all these obtained results, the composite membrane doped with 10 wt.%
    TiO2
    (B) nanowires is a promising candidate as proton exchange electrolyte in fuel cells (PEMFCs),
    especially those operating at high temperatures.

subjects

  • Materials science and engineering

keywords

  • sulfonated polysulfone; composite membrane; tio2(b) nanowires; proton-exchange; membrane fuel cell