Solution‐blown SPEEK/POSS nanofiber–nafion hybrid composite membranes for direct methanol fuel cells |
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| Authors: | Hang Wang Xupin Zhuang Junying Tong Xiaojie Li Wei Wang Bowen Cheng Zhanjun Cai |
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| Affiliation: | 1. Department of Nonwoven Sci. & Eng., College of Textile, Tianjin Polytechnic University, Tianjin, People's Republic of China;2. Key Laboratory of Advanced Textile Composite Materials of Ministry of Education, Tianjin Polytechnic University, Tianjin, People's Republic of China |
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| Abstract: | This study aims to develop novel hybrid composite membranes (NHMs) by impregnating Nafion solution into the porous sulfonated poly(ether ether ketone)/polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxanes (SPEEK/POSS) nanofibers (NFs). The composite membrane was prepared by solution blowing of a mixture of SPEEK/POSS solution. The characteristics of the SPEEK/POSS NFs and the NHMs, including morphology, thermal stability, and performance of membrane as PEMs, were investigated. The performance of NHMs was compared with that of Nafion117 and SPEEK/Nafion composite membranes. Results showed that the introduction of POSS improved the proton conductivity, water swelling, and methanol permeability of membranes. A maximum proton conductivity of 0.163 S cm?1 was obtained when the POSS content was 6 wt % at 80°C, which was higher than that of Nafion117 and SPEEK/Nafion. NHMs could be used as proton exchange membranes (PEMs) for fuel cell applications. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015 , 132, 42843. |
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| Keywords: | batteries fuel cells membranes nanostructured polymers |
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