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Enhanced mechanical flexibility and performance of sodium alginate polymer electrolyte bio‐membrane for application in direct methanol fuel cell
Author(s) -
Shaari N.,
Kamarudin S. K.,
Basri S.,
Shyuan L. K.,
Masdar M. S.,
Nordin D.
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
journal of applied polymer science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.575
H-Index - 166
eISSN - 1097-4628
pISSN - 0021-8995
DOI - 10.1002/app.46666
Subject(s) - membrane , biopolymer , materials science , chemical engineering , polymer , methanol , direct methanol fuel cell , plasticizer , electrolyte , glycerol , fourier transform infrared spectroscopy , scanning electron microscope , conductivity , nuclear chemistry , polymer chemistry , chemistry , composite material , organic chemistry , anode , biochemistry , electrode , engineering
ABSTRACT A new membrane was synthesized containing pure alginate, crosslinking agent (CaCl 2 ), and plasticizer (glycerol). Characterization studies of the membrane were applied to determine the characteristics and morphology using field emission scanning electron microscope, EDX, FTIR, XRD, and atomic force microscopy analysis. The half‐cell performance test of the membrane was verified by several tests, including proton conductivity and methanol permeability. The best membrane had high proton conductivity (10.1 × 10 −3 S cm −1 ) and very low methanol permeability (1.984 × 10 −7 cm 2 s −1 ), which consequently resulted in very high selectivity (5.0907 × 10 4 Ss cm −3 ). Glycerol had a positive modification and good influence on the alginate characteristics. Furthermore, the poor mechanical properties of the alginate biopolymer were enhanced by calcium chloride and glycerol inside the polymer. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2018 , 135 , 46666.