Toward improved mechanical strength, oxidative stability and proton conductivity of an aligned quadratic hybrid (SPEEK/FPAPB/Fe3O4-FGO) membrane for application in high temperature and low humidity fuel cells

Vinothkannan Mohanraj; Ae Rhan Kim; G. Gnana kumar; Jeong-Mo Yoon; Dong Jin Yoo

doi:10.1039/c7ra07063b

Toward improved mechanical strength, oxidative stability and proton conductivity of an aligned quadratic hybrid (SPEEK/FPAPB/Fe₃O₄-FGO) membrane for application in high temperature and low humidity fuel cells

Vinothkannan Mohanraj, Ae Rhan Kim, G. Gnana kumar, Jeong-Mo Yoon, Dong Jin Yoo

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

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Abstract

Iron oxide (Fe₃O₄) anchored functionalized graphene oxide (FGO) is applied as a magnetically active filler as well as a solid proton conductor to realize an aligned hybrid membrane architecture with blended polymer matrix consisting of fluorinated poly arylene propane biphenyl (FPAPB) and sulfonated poly ether etherketone (SPEEK) for application in high temperature and low humidity fuel cells. The simple, but effective, functionalization of GO is performed with sulfonic acid (SO₃H) containing organosilane to increase the per unit volume of SO₃H groups and is then anchored by Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles to create the magnetic property. A constant magnetic field of 0.25 T is applied to perpendicularly align Fe₃O₄-FGO to the crosssection surface of membrane during solution casting process. The carbon skeleton of aligned Fe₃O₄-FGO and C–F bonds of FPAPB allow for an unprecedented approach to tailor the mechanical strength and oxidative stability of quadratic hybrid membrane, as evidenced by the results of dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) and ex situ durability test. The incorporation of aligned Fe₃O₄-FGO improves water absorption, ion exchange capacity and proton conductivity of membrane by increasing the number of SO₃H groups per unit volume of membrane domain, while retaining considerable dimensional stability.The peak proton conductivity of aligned SPFSGF-5 membrane at 120 ºC under 20% RH is 11.13 mS cm^-1,which is 1.44 fold better than that of pristine SP membrane (7.68 mS cm^-1). In contrast, under identical operating conditions, the Nafion-112 membrane exhibited a peak proton conductivity of 9.78 mS cm^-1, a 1.13 fold lower conductivity compared to aligned quadratic hybrid membrane. Furthermore, the aligned quadratic hybrid membrane exhibited lower H₂ and O₂ gas permeability compared to pristine SP and unaligned quadratic hybrid membranes.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	39034-39048
Number of pages	15
Journal	RSC Advances
Volume	7
Issue number	62
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1039/c7ra07063b
Publication status	Published - 9 Aug 2017
Externally published	Yes

Bibliographical note

This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 Unported Licence.

Funder

This work was supported by the Korea Institute of Energy Technology Evaluation and Planning (KETEP) and the Ministry of Trade, Industry & Energy (MOTIE) of the Republic of Korea (No. 20164030201070). This research was supported by Basic Science Research Program through the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) funded by the Ministry of Science, ICT and future Planning (NRF-2017R1A2B4005230).

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Toward improved mechanical strength, oxidative stability and proton conductivity of an aligned quadratic hybrid (SPEEK/FPAPB/Fe₃O₄-FGO) membrane for application in high temperature and low humidity fuel cells. / Mohanraj, Vinothkannan; Kim, Ae Rhan; kumar, G. Gnana et al.
In: RSC Advances, Vol. 7, No. 62, 09.08.2017, p. 39034-39048.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

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abstract = "Iron oxide (Fe3O4) anchored functionalized graphene oxide (FGO) is applied as a magnetically active filler as well as a solid proton conductor to realize an aligned hybrid membrane architecture with blended polymer matrix consisting of fluorinated poly arylene propane biphenyl (FPAPB) and sulfonated poly ether etherketone (SPEEK) for application in high temperature and low humidity fuel cells. The simple, but effective, functionalization of GO is performed with sulfonic acid (SO3H) containing organosilane to increase the per unit volume of SO3H groups and is then anchored by Fe3O4 nanoparticles to create the magnetic property. A constant magnetic field of 0.25 T is applied to perpendicularly align Fe3O4-FGO to the crosssection surface of membrane during solution casting process. The carbon skeleton of aligned Fe3O4-FGO and C–F bonds of FPAPB allow for an unprecedented approach to tailor the mechanical strength and oxidative stability of quadratic hybrid membrane, as evidenced by the results of dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) and ex situ durability test. The incorporation of aligned Fe3O4-FGO improves water absorption, ion exchange capacity and proton conductivity of membrane by increasing the number of SO3H groups per unit volume of membrane domain, while retaining considerable dimensional stability.The peak proton conductivity of aligned SPFSGF-5 membrane at 120 ºC under 20% RH is 11.13 mS cm-1,which is 1.44 fold better than that of pristine SP membrane (7.68 mS cm-1). In contrast, under identical operating conditions, the Nafion-112 membrane exhibited a peak proton conductivity of 9.78 mS cm-1, a 1.13 fold lower conductivity compared to aligned quadratic hybrid membrane. Furthermore, the aligned quadratic hybrid membrane exhibited lower H2 and O2 gas permeability compared to pristine SP and unaligned quadratic hybrid membranes.",

author = "Vinothkannan Mohanraj and Kim, {Ae Rhan} and kumar, {G. Gnana} and Jeong-Mo Yoon and Yoo, {Dong Jin}",

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AU - kumar, G. Gnana

AU - Yoon, Jeong-Mo

AU - Yoo, Dong Jin

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AB - Iron oxide (Fe3O4) anchored functionalized graphene oxide (FGO) is applied as a magnetically active filler as well as a solid proton conductor to realize an aligned hybrid membrane architecture with blended polymer matrix consisting of fluorinated poly arylene propane biphenyl (FPAPB) and sulfonated poly ether etherketone (SPEEK) for application in high temperature and low humidity fuel cells. The simple, but effective, functionalization of GO is performed with sulfonic acid (SO3H) containing organosilane to increase the per unit volume of SO3H groups and is then anchored by Fe3O4 nanoparticles to create the magnetic property. A constant magnetic field of 0.25 T is applied to perpendicularly align Fe3O4-FGO to the crosssection surface of membrane during solution casting process. The carbon skeleton of aligned Fe3O4-FGO and C–F bonds of FPAPB allow for an unprecedented approach to tailor the mechanical strength and oxidative stability of quadratic hybrid membrane, as evidenced by the results of dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) and ex situ durability test. The incorporation of aligned Fe3O4-FGO improves water absorption, ion exchange capacity and proton conductivity of membrane by increasing the number of SO3H groups per unit volume of membrane domain, while retaining considerable dimensional stability.The peak proton conductivity of aligned SPFSGF-5 membrane at 120 ºC under 20% RH is 11.13 mS cm-1,which is 1.44 fold better than that of pristine SP membrane (7.68 mS cm-1). In contrast, under identical operating conditions, the Nafion-112 membrane exhibited a peak proton conductivity of 9.78 mS cm-1, a 1.13 fold lower conductivity compared to aligned quadratic hybrid membrane. Furthermore, the aligned quadratic hybrid membrane exhibited lower H2 and O2 gas permeability compared to pristine SP and unaligned quadratic hybrid membranes.

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