Issue 53, 2015

A quaternized mesoporous silica/polysulfone composite membrane for an efficient alkaline fuel cell application

Abstract

Mesoporous silica (SBA-15) was synthesized and quaternized via chloromethylation followed by amination. Quaternized SBA-15 (QSBA) was characterized by FTIR, solid state 13C NMR, BET, XRD and TEM. The QSBA was then incorporated into quaternary polysulfone (QPSu) in different weight percentages (1–4%) to form high ion exchange capacity composite membranes. The composite membranes were analysed by SEM and XRD. The water uptake, ion exchange capacity and hydroxyl conductivity of the composite membrane were studied for the suitability of the membrane in alkaline fuel cells. A membrane electrode assembly was constructed using a carbon supported platinum (Vulcan XC-72) anode, cathode catalysts and a QPSU/3% QSBA-15 composite membrane and tested in an AFC. A maximum power density of 298 mW cm−2 was achieved at 60 °C. The experimental results showed that the QPSU/QSBA-15 composite membrane exhibited a promising electrochemical performance in an AFC.

Graphical abstract: A quaternized mesoporous silica/polysulfone composite membrane for an efficient alkaline fuel cell application

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
09 Mar 2015
Accepted
05 May 2015
First published
05 May 2015

RSC Adv., 2015,5, 42828-42835

Author version available

A quaternized mesoporous silica/polysulfone composite membrane for an efficient alkaline fuel cell application

E. Vijayakumar and D. Sangeetha, RSC Adv., 2015, 5, 42828 DOI: 10.1039/C5RA04144A

To request permission to reproduce material from this article, please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

If you are an author contributing to an RSC publication, you do not need to request permission provided correct acknowledgement is given.

If you are the author of this article, you do not need to request permission to reproduce figures and diagrams provided correct acknowledgement is given. If you want to reproduce the whole article in a third-party publication (excluding your thesis/dissertation for which permission is not required) please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

Read more about how to correctly acknowledge RSC content.

Social activity

Spotlight

Advertisements