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Glutaraldehyde cross-linked sulphonated poly styrene ethylene butylene poly styrene membranes for methanol fuel cells

  • Research Article
  • Published:
International Journal of Plastics Technology

Abstract

New, cheap proton conducting crosslinked membranes based on sulphonated poly styrene ethylene butylene poly styrene (SPSEBS) and glutaraldehyde (2 to 10 %) were synthesized as substitute for costly Nafion117 membrane. Glutaraldehyde was used as the cross-linking agent in order to improve dimensional stability. The proton conductivity of the crosslinked membranes was in the order of 10−2S/cm at 25 °C. Proton exchange membrane fuel cell achieved the maximum power density of 68 and 58 mW/cm2, at a current density of 200 mA/ cm2for cross-linked membranes with glutaraldehyde content 2 and 10 % respectively. The methanol permeability of the cross-linked membrane (in the range of 16.22 to 11. 89 × 10−7 cm2/s) was much lower than that of Nafion 117 (35.2 × 10−7 cm2/s). Direct methanol fuel cell (2 M concentration at 25 °C) consisting of cross-linked membrane was assembled and systematically examined. The crosslinked membranes containing 2 and 10 % glutaraldehyde showed maximum power density of 56 and 67.5 mW/cm2, respectively. The performance of cross-linked membranes in both the cells was several times higher than that of Nafion 117. Hence the cross-linked membrane is a viable substitute for Nafion 117 for fuel cells applications. In this study the formation of sulphonated PSEBS and cross-linked structure was ascertained through FTIR and X-ray diffraction spectra, scanning electron microscopy and thermal analysis.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank the University Grant commission (UGC), INDIA for funding this project.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemistry, Anna University, Chennai, 600 025, India

    Perumal Bhavani & Dharmalingam Sangeetha

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  1. Perumal Bhavani
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  2. Dharmalingam Sangeetha
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Correspondence to Dharmalingam Sangeetha.

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Bhavani, P., Sangeetha, D. Glutaraldehyde cross-linked sulphonated poly styrene ethylene butylene poly styrene membranes for methanol fuel cells. Int J Plast Technol 19, 137–152 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12588-015-9103-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12588-015-9103-6

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