Nafion®/clay-SO3H membrane for proton exchange membrane fuel cell application

Oxidative Transformation of Nafion-Related Fluorinated Ether Sulfonates: Comparison with Legacy PFAS Structures and Opportunities of Acidic Persulfate Digestion for PFAS Precursor Analysis

The total oxidizable precursor (TOP) assay has been extensively used for detecting PFAS pollutants that do not have analytical standards. It uses hydroxyl radicals (HO•) from the heat activation of persulfate under alkaline pH to convert H-containing precursors to perfluoroalkyl carboxylates (PFCAs) for target analysis. However, the current TOP assay oxidation method does not apply to emerging PFAS because (i) many structures do not contain C-H bonds for HO• attack and (ii) the transformation products are not necessarily PFCAs. In this study, we explored the use of classic acidic persulfate digestion, which generates sulfate radicals (SO4-•), to extend the capability of the TOP assay. We examined the oxidation of Nafion-related ether sulfonates that contain C-H or -COO-, characterized the oxidation products, and quantified the F atom balance. The SO4-• oxidation greatly expanded the scope of oxidizable precursors. The transformation was initiated by decarboxylation, followed by various spontaneous steps, such as HF elimination and ester hydrolysis. We further compared the oxidation of legacy fluorotelomers using SO4-• versus HO•. The results suggest novel product distribution patterns, depending on the functional group and oxidant dose. The general trends and strategies were also validated by analyzing a mixture of 100000- or 10000-fold diluted aqueous film-forming foam (containing various fluorotelomer surfactants and organics) and a spiked Nafion precursor. Therefore, (1) the combined use of SO4-• and HO• oxidation, (2) the expanded list of standard chemicals, and (3) further elucidation of SO4-• oxidation mechanisms will provide more critical information to probe emerging PFAS pollutants.

Preparation and characterization of zwitterion-substituted lignin/Nafion composite membranes

In this study, a novel zwitterion-substituted lignin (ZL) containing amino and sulfonic acid groups was synthesized, and ZL/Nafion composite membranes were fabricated as proton exchange membranes. Kraft lignin was modified using an aminosilane and 1,3-propanesultone via a continuous grafting reaction to provide zwitterionic moieties. Chemical structural analyses confirmed the successful introduction of the zwitterion moiety into lignin. In particular, the surface charge of ZL is positive in an acidic medium and negative in a basic medium, suggesting that ZL is a zwitterionic material. ZL was incorporated into a Nafion membrane to enhance its ion exchange capacity, thermal stability, and hydrophilicity. The proton conductivity of ZL/Nafion 0.5 %, 151.0 mS/cm, was 55.3 % higher than that of unmodified ML (methanol-soluble lignin)/Nafion 0.5 % (97.2 mS/cm), indicating that the zwitterion moiety of ZL enhances the proton transport ability. In addition, oxidative stability evaluation confirmed that ZL/Nafion 2 % was chemically more durable than pure Nafion. This confirmed that using lignin as a membrane additive yielded positive results in terms of chemical durability and oxidation stability in Nafion. Therefore, ZL is expected to be utilized as a multifunctional additive and exhibits the potential for fuel cell applications.

Fluoropolymers and Their Nanohybrids As Energy Materials: Application to Fuel Cells and Energy Harvesting

The current review article provides deep insight into the fluoropolymers and their applications in energy technology, especially in the field of energy harvesting and the development of fuel cell electrolyte polymeric membranes. Fluoropolymers have gained wide attention in the field of energy applications due to their versatile properties. The incorporation of nanofillers within the fluoropolymer to develop the nanohybrid results in an enhancement in the properties, like thermal, mechanical, gas permeation, different fuel cross-over phenomena through the membrane, hydrophilic/hydrophobic nature, ion transport, and piezo-electric properties for fabricating energy devices. The properties of nanohybrid materials/membranes are influenced by several factors, such as type of filler, their size, amount of filler, level of dispersion, surface acidity, shape, and formation of networking within the polymer matrix. Fluoropolymer-based nanohybrids have replaced several commercial materials due to their chemical inertness, better efficacy, and durability. The addition of certain electroactive fillers in the polymer matrix enhances the polar phase, which enhances the applicability of the hybrid for fuel cell and energy-harvesting applications. Poly(vinylidene fluoride) is one of the remarkable fluoropolymers in the field of energy applications such as fuel cell and piezoelectric energy harvesting. In the present review, a detailed discussion of the different kinds of nanofillers and their role in energy harvesting and fuel cell electrolyte membranes is projected.

Development of WO3-Nafion Based Membranes for Enabling Higher Water Retention at Low Humidity and Enhancing PEMFC Performance at Intermediate Temperature Operation

The proton exchange membrane (PEM) represents a pivotal material and a key challenge in developing fuel cell science and hydrogen technology. Nafion is the most promising polymer which will lead to its commercialisation. Hybrid membranes of nanosized tungsten oxide (WO₃) and Nafion were fabricated, characterised, and tested in a single cell. The incorporation of 10 wt% WO₃ resulted in 21% higher water uptake, 11.7% lower swelling ratio, almost doubling the hydration degree, and 13% higher mechanical stability of the hybrid membrane compared to the Nafion XL. Compared to commercial Nafion XL, the rNF-WO-10 hybrid membrane showed an 8.8% and 20% increase in current density of the cell at 0.4 V operating at 80 and 95 °C with 1.89 and 2.29 A/cm², respectively. The maximum power density has increased by 9% (0.76 W/cm²) and 19.9% (0.922 W/cm²) when operating at the same temperatures compared to the commercial Nafion XL membrane. Generally, considering the particular structure of Nafion XL, our Nafion-based membrane with 10 wt% WO₃ (rNF-WO-10) is a suitable PEM with a comparable performance at different operating conditions.

Preparation and performance of sulfonated poly(ether ether ketone) membranes enhanced with ammonium ionic liquid and graphene oxide

The exploration of proton exchange membranes with excellent performance has always been under focus for improving the performance of proton exchange membrane fuel cells. In this study, novel ternary composite proton exchange membranes based on sulfonated poly(ether ether ketone) (SPEEK), triethylamine phosphate (TEAP) as the ammonium ionic liquid (AIL), and graphene oxide (GO) were prepared. The prepared membranes were characterized for their physical, physico-chemical, structural, morphological, thermal, mechanical, and electrical characteristics. The thermal stability of the SPEEK membrane was improved by the addition of GO and TEAP. GO was inserted into the composite membrane to form proton transfer channels. The amine ions in AIL formed acid–base pairs with the sulfonic acid group, whereas the oxygen-containing group on GO formed hydrogen bonds with the phosphate group. These groups interacted with each other to form a honeycomb-like structure, which anchored the AIL in the membrane and reduced its loss, providing additional sites for proton transport at higher temperatures. The proton conductivity of the SPEEK/AIL/GO-2 membrane reached 17.345 mS/cm at 120°C, which was 2.09 times higher than that of the pristine SPEEK membrane. This study provides the possibility for better preparation of proton exchange membranes used for high-temperature proton exchange membrane fuel cells.

Uniform hybrid nanoribbons from unidirectional inclusion crystallization controlled by size-amphiphilic block copolymers

Herein, we suggest a unique approach to control the growth of hybrid crystals of silicotungstic acid (STA) by introducing a poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO)-containing block copolymer and a poly(methyl methacrylate)-b-poly(ethylene oxide)-b-poly(methyl methacrylate) block copolymer (MEM BCP). Remarkably, perfectly straight ribbon-like lamellae with a uniform width and a large length/width ratio (>200) can be obtained. The length of hybrid nanoribbons can be tuned by annealing time and temperature, whereas the width is dependent on the molecular weight of the PEO mid-block. The stability of hybrid nanoribbons has been investigated against solvent vapor, high temperatures and the presence of phosphotungstic acid (PTA). The formation of hybrid nanoribbons leads to enhanced mechanical properties and proton conductivities of STA hybrid nanocomposites. This effective approach will provide a representative strategy to the control of crystalline hybrid materials in the solid state.

Sulfonated poly(arylene ether sulfone) functionalized polysilsesquioxane hybrid membranes with enhanced proton conductivity

Sulfopropylated polysilsesquioxane and –COOH containing fluorinated sulfonated poly(arylene ether sulfone) composite membranes (SPAES-SS-X) have been prepared via an in situ sol–gel reaction through the solution casting technique. The composite membranes showed excellent thermal and chemical stability, compared to the pristine SPAES membrane. The uniform dispersion of the sulfonated SiOPS nanoparticles on the polymer matrix was observed from the scanning electron microscope images. Atomic force microscopy and transmission electron microscopy images indicated significantly better phase-separated morphology and connectivity of the ionic domains of the composite membranes than the pristine SPAES membrane. The composite membranes showed considerable improvement in proton conductivity and oxidative stability than the pristine copolymer membrane under similar test conditions.

A review on functional polymer-clay based nanocomposite membranes for treatment of water

Water is essential for every living being. Increasing population, mismanagement of water sources, urbanization, industrialization, globalization, and global warming have all contributed to the scarcity of fresh water sources and the growing demand of such resources. Securing and allocating sufficient water resources has thus become one of the current major global challenges. Membrane technology has dominated the field of water purification due to its ease of usage and fabrication with high efficiency. The development of novel membrane materials can hence play a central role in advancing the field of membrane technology. It is noted that polymer-clay nanocomposites have been used widely for treatment of waste water. Nonetheless, not much efforts have been put to functionalize their membranes to be selective for specific targets. This review was organized to offer better insights into various types of functional polymer and clays composite membranes developed for efficient treatment and purification of water/wastewater. Our discussion was extended further to evaluate the efficacy of membrane techniques employed in the water industry against major chemical (e.g., heavy metal, dye, and phenol) and biological contaminants (e.g., biofouling).

Self-Assembly Investigations of Sulfonated Poly(methyl methacrylate-block-styrene) Diblock Copolymer Thin Films

Poly(methyl methacrylate-block-styrene) block copolymers (BCs) of low dispersity were selectively sulfonated on the styrenic segment. Several combinations of degree of polymerization and volume fraction of each block were investigated to access different self-assembled morphologies. Thin films of the sulfonated block copolymers were prepared by spin-coating and exposed to solvent vapor (SVA) or thermal annealing (TA) to reach equilibrium morphologies. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) was employed for characterizing the films, which exhibited a variety of nanometric equilibrium and nonequilibrium morphologies. Highly sulfonated samples revealed the formation of a honeycomb-like morphology obtained in solution rather than by the self-assembly of the BC in the solid state. The described morphologies may be employed in applications such as templates for nanomanufacturing and as cover and binder of catalytic particles in fuel cells.

Sulfonated Holey Graphene Oxide (SHGO) Filled Sulfonated Poly(ether ether ketone) Membrane: The Role of Holes in the SHGO in Improving Its Performance as Proton Exchange Membrane for Direct Methanol Fuel Cells

Sulfonated holey graphene oxides (SHGOs) have been synthesized by the etching of sulfonated graphene oxides with concentrated HNO₃ under the assistance of ultrasonication. These SHGOs could be used as fillers for the sulfonated aromatic poly(ether ether ketone) (SPEEK) membrane. The obtained SHGO-incorporated SPEEK membrane has a uniform and dense structure, exhibiting higher performance as proton exchange membranes (PEMs), for instance, higher proton conductivity, lower activation energy for proton conduction, and comparable methanol permeability, as compared to Nafion 112. The sulfonated graphitic structure of the SHGOs is believed to be one of the crucial factors resulting in the higher performance of the SPEEK/SHGO membrane, since it could increase the local density of the -SO₃H groups in the membrane and induce a strong interfacial interaction between SHGO and the SPEEK matrix, which improve the proton conductivity and lower the swelling ratio of the membrane, respectively. Additionally, the proton conductivity of the membrane could be further enhanced by the presence of the holes in the graphitic planes of the SHGOs, since it provides an additional channel for transport of the protons. When used, direct methanol fuel cell with the SPEEK/SHGO membrane is found to exhibit much higher performance than that with Nafion 112, suggesting potential use of the SPEEK/SHGO membrane as the PEMs.

A nanocomposite membrane composed of incorporated nano-alumina within sulfonated PVDF-co-HFP/Nafion blend as separating barrier in a single chambered microbial fuel cell

Nano-Al₂O₃ is incorporated within the blend of sulfonated PVDF-co-HFP/Nafion in varying molar ratios for the preparation of nanocomposite membranes.

Inside the structure of a nanocomposite electrolyte membrane: how hybrid particles get along with the polymer matrix

Hybrid materials remain the target for a fruitful range of investigations, especially for energy devices. A number of hybrid electrolyte membranes consisting of inorganic and organic phases were then synthesized. Mechanical, solvent uptake and ionic transport properties were studied with the key point being the characteristic length scale of the interaction between the phases. A group of nanocomposite membranes made of polystyrenesulfonic acid-grafted silica particles embedded in a Poly(Vinylidene Fluoride-co-HexaFluoroPropene) (PVdF-HFP) matrix was studied by combining neutron and X-ray scatterings on the nanometer to angstrom scale. This approach allows for the variation in the morphology and structure as a function of particle loading to be described. These studies showed that the particles aggregate with increasing particle loading and these aggregates swell, creating a physical interaction with the polymer matrix. Particle loadings lower than 30 wt% induce a slight strain between both of the subphases, namely the polymer matrix and the particles. This strain is decreased with particle loading between 20 and 30 wt% conjointly with the beginning of proton conduction. Then the percolation of the aggregates is the beginning of a significant increase of the conduction without any strain. This new insight can give information on the variation in other important intrinsic properties.

Incorporation of nano-Al2O3 within the blend of sulfonated-PVdF-co-HFP and Nafion for high temperature application in DMFCs

Nano-Al₂O₃ was incorporated into the blend of sulfonated-PVdF-co-HFP/Nafion using NMP (1-methyl-2-pyrrolidone) as a common solvent with the aim to develop an alternate membrane to be used in a single cell direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC).

Proton exchange membranes from sulfonated poly(ether ether ketone) reinforced with silica nanoparticles

The feasibility of sulfonated poly(ether ether ketone) (SPEEK) membranes reinforced with unmodified silica (SiO2) and modified silica (SiO2–SO3H) nanoparticles as proton exchange membranes (PEMs) was investigated here. The sulfonated membranes were characterized for degree of sulfonation, thermal stability, as well as water/methanol uptake properties. The incorporation of SiO2 increased the hydrophilic behavior thus allowing more water retention, which facilitated an easy pathway for proton transfer. However, a reduction in proton conductivity was observed. The strong –SO3H/–SO3H interaction between SPEEK chains and SiO2–SO3H led to ionic cross-linking in the membrane structure, which compensated for this decrement in proton conductivity. The fuel cell performance study revealed the potential of SPEEK/SiO2–SO3H nanocomposite membrane to act as an efficient PEM for fuel cell application.

Improved oxygen reduction reaction catalyzed by Pt/Clay/Nafion nanocomposite for PEM fuel cells

A novel Pt nanoparticle (Pt NP) embedded aminoclay/Nafion (Pt/AC/N) nanocomposite catalyst film was prepared for oxygen reduction reaction by sol-gel method. The prepared nanocomposite films were surface characterized using XRD and TEM and thermal stability was studied by TGA. The prepared film has firmly bound Pt NP and could exhibit an improved electro-reduction activity compared to vulcan carbon/Nafion supported Pt NP (Pt/VC/N). Moreover, the Pt/AC/N film possessed good stability in the acidic environment. The limiting current density of the Pt/AC/N film with 35.4 μg/cm(2) of Pt loading was found to be 4.2 mA/cm(2), which is 30% higher than that of the Pt/VC/N. The maximum H2O2 intermediate formation was found to be ∼1.6% and the reaction found to follow a four electron transfer mechanism. Accelerated durability test for 2000 potential cycles showed that ca. 78% of initial limiting current was retained. The results are encouraging for possible use of the Pt/AC/N as the free-standing electrocatalyst layer for polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells.

NMR and Electrochemical Investigation of the Transport Properties of Methanol and Water in Nafion and Clay-Nanocomposites Membranes for DMFCs

Water and methanol transport behavior, solvents adsorption and electrochemical properties of filler-free Nafion and nanocomposites based on two smectite clays, were investigated using impedance spectroscopy, DMFC tests and NMR methods, including spin-lattice relaxation and pulsed-gradient spin-echo (PGSE) diffusion under variable temperature conditions. Synthetic (Laponite) and natural (Swy-2) smectite clays, with different structural and physical parameters, were incorporated into the Nafion for the creation of exfoliated nanocomposites. Transport mechanism of water and methanol appears to be influenced from the dimensions of the dispersed platelike silicate layers as well as from their cation exchange capacity (CEC). The details of the NMR results and the effect of the methanol solution concentration are discussed. Clays particles, and in particular Swy-2, demonstrate to be a potential physical barrier for methanol cross-over, reducing the methanol diffusion with an evident blocking effect yet nevertheless ensuring a high water mobility up to 130 °C and for several hours, proving the exceptional water retention property of these materials and their possible use in the DMFCs applications. Electrochemical behavior is investigated by cell resistance and polarization measurements. From these analyses it is derived that the addition of clay materials to recast Nafion decreases the ohmic losses at high temperatures extending in this way the operating range of a direct methanol fuel cell.