Composite silica/Nafion (R) membranes prepared by tetraethylorthosilicate sol-gel reaction and solution casting for direct methanol fuel cells

    Authors

    R. C. Jiang; H. R. Kunz;J. M. Fenton

    Comments

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    Abbreviated Journal Title

    J. Membr. Sci.

    Keywords

    silica/Nafion (R); composite membranes; sol-gel; direct methanol fuel; cell (DMFC); HIGH-TEMPERATURE OPERATION; NAFION MEMBRANES; HYBRID MEMBRANE; TRANSPORT; ELECTROLYTE; PROTON; WATER; ACID; PERFORMANCE; IONOMER; Engineering, Chemical; Polymer Science

    Abstract

    Composite silica/Nafion (R) membranes were prepared using a tetraethylorthosilicate (TEOS) hydrolysis sol-gel reaction followed by solution casting. Physico-chemical properties of the composite membranes were characterized by TGA, XRD, Fr-IR, SEM-EDX and water uptake. Membranes were investigated in direct methanol fuel cells (DMFCs). Lower silica loadings (3 and 5 wt.%) in the composite membranes helped to inhibit methanol crossover through the membrane, while higher silica loadings demonstrated a smaller contribution to lowering the methanol crossover. Proton conductivity of the composite membranes decreased with increasing silica content, in spite of the increasing membrane water uptake. DMFC performance using the composite membrane with 5 wt.% silica loading was higher than using a pure Nafion (R) membrane. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

    Journal Title

    Journal of Membrane Science

    Volume

    272

    Issue/Number

    1-2

    Publication Date

    1-1-2006

    Document Type

    Article

    Language

    English

    First Page

    116

    Last Page

    124

    WOS Identifier

    WOS:000235413000013

    ISSN

    0376-7388

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