TY - JOUR
T1 - Novel Chitosan–Mg(OH)2-Based Nanocomposite Membranes for Direct Alkaline Ethanol Fuel Cells
AU - Kaker, Barbara
AU - Hribernik, Silvo
AU - Mohan, Tamilselvan
AU - Kargl, Rupert
AU - Stana Kleinschek, Karin
AU - Pavlica, Egon
AU - Kreta, Ahmed
AU - Bratina, Gvido
AU - Lue, Shingjiang Jessie
AU - Božič, Mojca
PY - 2019/12/16
Y1 - 2019/12/16
N2 - The present work describes novel polymer-based nanocomposite anion-exchange membranes (AEMs) with improved features for direct alkaline fuel cell applications. AEMs based on chitosan (CS), magnesium hydroxide (Mg(OH)2), and graphene oxide (GO) with benzyltrimethylammonium chloride (BTMAC) as the hydroxide conductor were fabricated by a solvent casting method. To impart better mechanical properties and suppressed swelling, the enzymatic cross-linking with dodecyl 3,4,5-trihydroxybenzoate having C-10 alkyl chain was employed. The structure and surface morphology, KOH uptake and swelling ratio, ethanol permeability, mechanical property, ionic conductivity, cell performance, and stability of AEMs were investigated. The as-obtained AEMs showed improved hydroxide conductivity compared with previously reported CS AEMs. The highest value for hydroxide conductivity, 142.5 ± 4.0 mS cm-1 at 40 °C, was achieved for the CS + Mg(OH)2 + GO + BTMAC AEMs with an ethanol permeability value of 6.17 × 10-7 ± 1.17 × 10-7 cm2 s-1 in spite of its relative high KOH uptake (1.43 g KOH/g membrane). The highest peak power density value of 72.7 mW cm-2 was obtained at 209 mA cm-2 when the pristine CS + Mg(OH)2 AEM was used as the polymer electrolyte membrane in the direct alkaline ethanol fuel cell at 80 °C. This is the highest reported power density value for CS-based membranes.
AB - The present work describes novel polymer-based nanocomposite anion-exchange membranes (AEMs) with improved features for direct alkaline fuel cell applications. AEMs based on chitosan (CS), magnesium hydroxide (Mg(OH)2), and graphene oxide (GO) with benzyltrimethylammonium chloride (BTMAC) as the hydroxide conductor were fabricated by a solvent casting method. To impart better mechanical properties and suppressed swelling, the enzymatic cross-linking with dodecyl 3,4,5-trihydroxybenzoate having C-10 alkyl chain was employed. The structure and surface morphology, KOH uptake and swelling ratio, ethanol permeability, mechanical property, ionic conductivity, cell performance, and stability of AEMs were investigated. The as-obtained AEMs showed improved hydroxide conductivity compared with previously reported CS AEMs. The highest value for hydroxide conductivity, 142.5 ± 4.0 mS cm-1 at 40 °C, was achieved for the CS + Mg(OH)2 + GO + BTMAC AEMs with an ethanol permeability value of 6.17 × 10-7 ± 1.17 × 10-7 cm2 s-1 in spite of its relative high KOH uptake (1.43 g KOH/g membrane). The highest peak power density value of 72.7 mW cm-2 was obtained at 209 mA cm-2 when the pristine CS + Mg(OH)2 AEM was used as the polymer electrolyte membrane in the direct alkaline ethanol fuel cell at 80 °C. This is the highest reported power density value for CS-based membranes.
KW - anion-exchange membrane
KW - chitosan
KW - direct alkaline alcoholic fuel cell
KW - magnesium hydroxide
KW - chitosan
KW - magnesium hydroxide
KW - anion-exchange membrane
KW - direct alkaline alcoholic fuel cell
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85076248309&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1021/acssuschemeng.9b02888
DO - 10.1021/acssuschemeng.9b02888
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85076248309
SN - 2168-0485
VL - 7
SP - 19356
EP - 19368
JO - ACS Sustainable Chemistry and Engineering
JF - ACS Sustainable Chemistry and Engineering
IS - 24
ER -
