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A humidity-sensitive nanocomposite solid ion conductor: sulfonated poly-ether-ether-ketone in nanotubular TiO2 or ZrO2 matrix

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Abstract

A nanocomposite solid ion conductor was prepared by infiltrating zirconia or titania nanotube arrays, made by electrochemical anodization of Zr or Ti metal, with proton-conducting sulfonated poly(ether-ether-ketone) (SPEEK) ionomer. The resulting material was characterized using scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and infrared spectroscopy showing the successful filling of the nanotubular matrix with the ionomer. Impedance spectroscopy revealed a conductivity increase by several orders of magnitude after infiltration; furthermore, the impedance of the TiO2nt-SPEEK nanocomposite is very sensitive to the relative humidity. Possible applications of these ionic conducting nanocomposites include solid-state humidity sensors or heterogeneous catalytic materials.

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Acknowledgments

O.R. acknowledges the European Union Erasmus Mundus Master Program MESC (Materials for Energy Storage and Conversion) for a Visiting Scholarship under which the present study was carried out.

The authors want to express their gratitude to Amélie Démoulin for help with the SEM observations.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. CNRS, Madirel (UMR 7246), Electrochemistry of Materials Group, Aix Marseille University, Campus St Jérôme, 13397, Marseille, France

    O. Ruzimuradov, M. Braglia, F. Vacandio & P. Knauth

  2. Department of Natural and Mathematic Sciences, Turin Polytechnic University in Tashkent, Malaya Kolsevaya 17, Tashkent, Uzbekistan, 100095

    O. Ruzimuradov

  3. International Associated Laboratory (L.I.A.) Ionomer Materials for Energy (Aix Marseille University, CNRS, Univ. Rome Tor Vergata), Marseille, France

    M. Braglia, F. Vacandio & P. Knauth

  4. International Associated Laboratory (L.I.A.) Ionomer Materials for Energy (Aix Marseille University, CNRS, Univ. Rome Tor Vergata), Rome, Italy

    M. Braglia, F. Vacandio & P. Knauth

Authors
  1. O. Ruzimuradov
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  2. M. Braglia
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  3. F. Vacandio
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  4. P. Knauth
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Corresponding authors

Correspondence to O. Ruzimuradov or P. Knauth.

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Highlights

ZrO2 and TiO2 nanotube arrays were infiltrated with a proton-conducting ionomer.

Phase composition and electrical properties of the nanocomposite solids were analyzed.

After ionomer infiltration, the impedance is very sensitive to the relative humidity.

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Ruzimuradov, O., Braglia, M., Vacandio, F. et al. A humidity-sensitive nanocomposite solid ion conductor: sulfonated poly-ether-ether-ketone in nanotubular TiO2 or ZrO2 matrix. J Solid State Electrochem 22, 3255–3260 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10008-018-4026-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10008-018-4026-8

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