Inorganic modification of proton-conductive polymer DMFC membranes

• Publisher: Elsevier Science
• Year: 2002
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 61 KB
• Volume: 2002
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 1464-2859
• DOI: 10.1016/s1464-2859(02)10028-9

✦ Synopsis

Inorganic modification of protonconductive polymer DMFC membranes

New organic-inorganic composite membranes based on sulfonated polyetherketone (SPEK) and sulfonated poly(ether ether ketone) (SPEEK) were synthesized for DMFC applications, with water and methanol permeabilities reduced by inorganic modification. Modification with ZrO 2 gave a 60-fold reduction in methanol flux, but with a 13-fold reduction in conductivity. Modification with organically modified silane gave a 40-fold decrease in water permeability without a large decrease in proton conductivity. A ZrO 2 /zirconium phosphate mixture gave a good balance of high conductivity and low water/methanol permeability, for a 28-fold water flux reduction with only 10-30% proton conductivity reduction.