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Application of a novel PUB enhanced semi‐interpenetrating chitosan‐based anion exchange membrane
Author(s) -
Zhou Tianchi,
Cai Lu,
Qiao Jinli
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
international journal of energy research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.808
H-Index - 95
eISSN - 1099-114X
pISSN - 0363-907X
DOI - 10.1002/er.4972
Subject(s) - membrane , scanning electron microscope , fourier transform infrared spectroscopy , thermal stability , thermogravimetric analysis , materials science , ultimate tensile strength , x ray photoelectron spectroscopy , conductivity , ion exchange , polymer , chemical engineering , interpenetrating polymer network , chitosan , nuclear chemistry , polymer chemistry , analytical chemistry (journal) , chemistry , ion , composite material , chromatography , organic chemistry , biochemistry , engineering
Summary A novel OH − conducting membrane containing chitosan (CS), poly‐(acrylamide‐co‐diallyldimethylammonium chloride) (PAADDA) and linear structured poly‐bis (2‐chloroethyl) ether‐1,3‐bis [3‐(dimethylamino)propyl] urea copolymer (PUB) was synthesized via a solution‐casting method and subsequently modified by hot treatment and chemical cross‐linking. The structural characterizations of scanning electron microscope (SEM), atomic force microscope (AFM), Fourier transform infrared spectra (FT‐IR), and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) were carried out, showing that CS, PAADDA, and PUB formed a compact interpenetrating polymer network structure without apparent phase separation phenomenon under the help of cross‐linking. By changing the content of PUB in the membrane, the application performance such as mechanical properties, thermal gravimetric (TG) analysis, water uptake (WU), OH − conductivity ( σ OH − ) and ion exchange capacity (IEC) were investigated to evaluate the feasibility for alkaline membrane fuel cells. The maximum OH − conductivity could be reached up to 3.12 × 10 −2 S cm −1 at 80°C in a mass ratio of CS/PAADDA/PUB (1:0.5:0.5) while a good tensile strength of 22.73 MPa and an excellent elongation at break of 23.55% could be obtained in a mass ratio of CS/PAADDA/PUB (1:0.5:0.25). Furthermore, the membrane also exhibited relatively high oxidative stability as well as excellent alkaline resistance stability, when conditioned in 30% H 2 O 2 solution at ambient temperature for 120 hours and 8 M KOH solution at 60°C for 320 hours, respectively. Membrane electrode assemblies (MEAs) achieved a peak power density of 38.1 mW cm −2 at the maximum current density of 73.2 mA cm −2 in a H 2 /O 2 system at room temperature. PUB was successfully introduced into the CS‐based membrane to improve the conductivity. Maximum OH − conductivity reached 0.016 S cm −1 at room temperature. Tensile strength of the prepared membrane could reach up to 22.73 MPa. The prepared membrane exhibited an excellent elongation at break of 23.55%. The membrane showed good oxidative stability and excellent alkaline resistance stability.