Carbon Nanotubes Based Nafion Composite Membranes for Fuel Cell Applications

✍ Scribed by N. P. Cele; S. Sinha Ray; S. K. Pillai; M. Ndwandwe; S. Nonjola; L. Sikhwivhilu; M. K. Mathe

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 2010
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 350 KB
• Volume: 10
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 1615-6846
• DOI: 10.1002/fuce.200900056

✦ Synopsis

Abstract

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) containing Nafion composite membranes were prepared via melt‐blending at 250 °C. Using three different types of CNTs such as pure CNTs (pCNTs), oxidised CNTs (oCNTs) and amine functionalised CNTs (fCNTs); the effect of CNTs surface oxidation as well as functionalisation in composite membranes was investigated by focussing on three aspects: thermo‐mechanical stability, thermal degradation and proton conductivity. The oCNTs‐containing Nafion composite membrane exhibited concurrent improvement in most of the properties as compared to that of pure Nafion or other CNTs‐containing Nafion composite membranes.