Imidazolium-Quaternized Poly(2,6-Dimethyl-1,4-Phenylene Oxide)/Zeolitic Imidazole Framework-8 Composite Membrane as Polymer Electrolyte for Fuel-Cell Application
Anion exchange membrane fuel cells (AEMFCs) are considered superior to their counterpart proton exchange fuel cells due to their many advantages. Both fuel cells use membranes as polymer electrolytes to improve fuel-cell properties and power output. This work evaluates a series of imidazolium-quater...
| Main Authors: | , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2022-02-01
|
| Series: | Polymers |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4360/14/3/595 |
| _version_ | 1797485191940276224 |
|---|---|
| author | Thabakgolo T. Letsau Penny P. Govender Phumlani F. Msomi |
| author_facet | Thabakgolo T. Letsau Penny P. Govender Phumlani F. Msomi |
| author_sort | Thabakgolo T. Letsau |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Anion exchange membrane fuel cells (AEMFCs) are considered superior to their counterpart proton exchange fuel cells due to their many advantages. Both fuel cells use membranes as polymer electrolytes to improve fuel-cell properties and power output. This work evaluates a series of imidazolium-quaternized poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene oxide) (ImPPO) functionalized zeolitic imidazole framework-8 (ZIF-8) (ImPPO/ZIF-8) as anion exchange membrane (AEM) electrolytes in a direct methanol alkaline fuel cell. FTIR and <sup>1</sup>H NMR were used to confirm the successful membrane fabrication. SEM and TGA were used to study the morphological and thermal stability properties of the ImPPO/ZIF-8 membranes. The AEMs obtained in this work had contact angles ranging from 55.27–106.73°, water uptake from 9–83%, ion exchange capacity (IEC) from 1.93–3.15 mmol/g, and ion conductivity (IC) from 1.02–2.43 mS/cm. The best-performing membrane, ImPPO/3%ZIF-8, showed a water uptake of up to 35% at 80 °C, a swelling ratio of 15.1% after 72 h, IEC of 4.06 mmol/g, and IC of 1.96 mS/cm. A power density of 158.10 mW/cm<sup>2</sup> was obtained. This makes ZIF-8 a good prospect as a filler for enhancing membrane properties. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T23:15:15Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-02ee3db74ef7425ab08ab029cbc0aab9 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2073-4360 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T23:15:15Z |
| publishDate | 2022-02-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Polymers |
| spelling | doaj.art-02ee3db74ef7425ab08ab029cbc0aab92023-11-23T17:36:29ZengMDPI AGPolymers2073-43602022-02-0114359510.3390/polym14030595Imidazolium-Quaternized Poly(2,6-Dimethyl-1,4-Phenylene Oxide)/Zeolitic Imidazole Framework-8 Composite Membrane as Polymer Electrolyte for Fuel-Cell ApplicationThabakgolo T. Letsau0Penny P. Govender1Phumlani F. Msomi2Department of Chemical Science, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg 2028, South AfricaDepartment of Chemical Science, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg 2028, South AfricaDepartment of Chemical Science, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg 2028, South AfricaAnion exchange membrane fuel cells (AEMFCs) are considered superior to their counterpart proton exchange fuel cells due to their many advantages. Both fuel cells use membranes as polymer electrolytes to improve fuel-cell properties and power output. This work evaluates a series of imidazolium-quaternized poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene oxide) (ImPPO) functionalized zeolitic imidazole framework-8 (ZIF-8) (ImPPO/ZIF-8) as anion exchange membrane (AEM) electrolytes in a direct methanol alkaline fuel cell. FTIR and <sup>1</sup>H NMR were used to confirm the successful membrane fabrication. SEM and TGA were used to study the morphological and thermal stability properties of the ImPPO/ZIF-8 membranes. The AEMs obtained in this work had contact angles ranging from 55.27–106.73°, water uptake from 9–83%, ion exchange capacity (IEC) from 1.93–3.15 mmol/g, and ion conductivity (IC) from 1.02–2.43 mS/cm. The best-performing membrane, ImPPO/3%ZIF-8, showed a water uptake of up to 35% at 80 °C, a swelling ratio of 15.1% after 72 h, IEC of 4.06 mmol/g, and IC of 1.96 mS/cm. A power density of 158.10 mW/cm<sup>2</sup> was obtained. This makes ZIF-8 a good prospect as a filler for enhancing membrane properties.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4360/14/3/595poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene oxide)anion exchange membranedirect methanol alkaline fuel cellinorganic-organic hybrid membranezeolitic imidazole framework-8 (ZIF-8)imidazolium quaternized |
| spellingShingle | Thabakgolo T. Letsau Penny P. Govender Phumlani F. Msomi Imidazolium-Quaternized Poly(2,6-Dimethyl-1,4-Phenylene Oxide)/Zeolitic Imidazole Framework-8 Composite Membrane as Polymer Electrolyte for Fuel-Cell Application Polymers poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene oxide) anion exchange membrane direct methanol alkaline fuel cell inorganic-organic hybrid membrane zeolitic imidazole framework-8 (ZIF-8) imidazolium quaternized |
| title | Imidazolium-Quaternized Poly(2,6-Dimethyl-1,4-Phenylene Oxide)/Zeolitic Imidazole Framework-8 Composite Membrane as Polymer Electrolyte for Fuel-Cell Application |
| title_full | Imidazolium-Quaternized Poly(2,6-Dimethyl-1,4-Phenylene Oxide)/Zeolitic Imidazole Framework-8 Composite Membrane as Polymer Electrolyte for Fuel-Cell Application |
| title_fullStr | Imidazolium-Quaternized Poly(2,6-Dimethyl-1,4-Phenylene Oxide)/Zeolitic Imidazole Framework-8 Composite Membrane as Polymer Electrolyte for Fuel-Cell Application |
| title_full_unstemmed | Imidazolium-Quaternized Poly(2,6-Dimethyl-1,4-Phenylene Oxide)/Zeolitic Imidazole Framework-8 Composite Membrane as Polymer Electrolyte for Fuel-Cell Application |
| title_short | Imidazolium-Quaternized Poly(2,6-Dimethyl-1,4-Phenylene Oxide)/Zeolitic Imidazole Framework-8 Composite Membrane as Polymer Electrolyte for Fuel-Cell Application |
| title_sort | imidazolium quaternized poly 2 6 dimethyl 1 4 phenylene oxide zeolitic imidazole framework 8 composite membrane as polymer electrolyte for fuel cell application |
| topic | poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene oxide) anion exchange membrane direct methanol alkaline fuel cell inorganic-organic hybrid membrane zeolitic imidazole framework-8 (ZIF-8) imidazolium quaternized |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4360/14/3/595 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT thabakgolotletsau imidazoliumquaternizedpoly26dimethyl14phenyleneoxidezeoliticimidazoleframework8compositemembraneaspolymerelectrolyteforfuelcellapplication AT pennypgovender imidazoliumquaternizedpoly26dimethyl14phenyleneoxidezeoliticimidazoleframework8compositemembraneaspolymerelectrolyteforfuelcellapplication AT phumlanifmsomi imidazoliumquaternizedpoly26dimethyl14phenyleneoxidezeoliticimidazoleframework8compositemembraneaspolymerelectrolyteforfuelcellapplication |