Electrospun Hybrid Perfluorosulfonic Acid/Sulfonated Silica Composite Membranes
Electrospinning was employed to fabricate composite membranes containing perfluorosulfonic acid (PFSA) ionomer, poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) reinforcement and a sulfonated silica network, where the latter was incorporated either in the PFSA matrix or in the PVDF fibers. The best membrane, in ter...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2020-09-01
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| Series: | Membranes |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0375/10/10/250 |
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| author | Leslie Dos Santos Devon Powers Ryszard Wycisk Peter N. Pintauro |
| author_facet | Leslie Dos Santos Devon Powers Ryszard Wycisk Peter N. Pintauro |
| author_sort | Leslie Dos Santos |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Electrospinning was employed to fabricate composite membranes containing perfluorosulfonic acid (PFSA) ionomer, poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) reinforcement and a sulfonated silica network, where the latter was incorporated either in the PFSA matrix or in the PVDF fibers. The best membrane, in terms of proton conductivity, was made by incorporating the sulfonated silica network in PFSA fibers (Type-A) while the lowest conductivity membrane was obtained when sulfonated silica was incorporated into the reinforcing PVDF fibers (Type-B). A Type-A membrane containing 65 wt.% PFSA with an embedded sulfonated silica network (at 15 wt.%) and with 20 wt.% PVDF reinforcing fibers proved superior to the pristine PFSA membrane in terms of both the proton conductivity in the 30–90% RH at 80 °C (a 25–35% increase) and lateral swelling (a 68% reduction). In addition, it was demonstrated that a Type-A membrane was superior to that of a neat 660 EW perfluoroimide acid (PFIA, from 3M Co.) films with respect to swelling and mechanical strength, while having a similar proton conductivity vs. relative humidity profile. This study demonstrates that an electrospun nanofiber composite membrane with a sulfonated silica network added to moderately low EW PFSA fibers is a viable alternative to an ultra-low EW fluorinated ionomer PEM, in terms of properties relevant to fuel cell applications. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T16:07:29Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-4d4512a427854c54b7abcd7396c8d3d8 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2077-0375 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T16:07:29Z |
| publishDate | 2020-09-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Membranes |
| spelling | doaj.art-4d4512a427854c54b7abcd7396c8d3d82023-11-20T14:45:45ZengMDPI AGMembranes2077-03752020-09-01101025010.3390/membranes10100250Electrospun Hybrid Perfluorosulfonic Acid/Sulfonated Silica Composite MembranesLeslie Dos Santos0Devon Powers1Ryszard Wycisk2Peter N. Pintauro3Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235, USADepartment of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235, USADepartment of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235, USADepartment of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235, USAElectrospinning was employed to fabricate composite membranes containing perfluorosulfonic acid (PFSA) ionomer, poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) reinforcement and a sulfonated silica network, where the latter was incorporated either in the PFSA matrix or in the PVDF fibers. The best membrane, in terms of proton conductivity, was made by incorporating the sulfonated silica network in PFSA fibers (Type-A) while the lowest conductivity membrane was obtained when sulfonated silica was incorporated into the reinforcing PVDF fibers (Type-B). A Type-A membrane containing 65 wt.% PFSA with an embedded sulfonated silica network (at 15 wt.%) and with 20 wt.% PVDF reinforcing fibers proved superior to the pristine PFSA membrane in terms of both the proton conductivity in the 30–90% RH at 80 °C (a 25–35% increase) and lateral swelling (a 68% reduction). In addition, it was demonstrated that a Type-A membrane was superior to that of a neat 660 EW perfluoroimide acid (PFIA, from 3M Co.) films with respect to swelling and mechanical strength, while having a similar proton conductivity vs. relative humidity profile. This study demonstrates that an electrospun nanofiber composite membrane with a sulfonated silica network added to moderately low EW PFSA fibers is a viable alternative to an ultra-low EW fluorinated ionomer PEM, in terms of properties relevant to fuel cell applications.https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0375/10/10/250electrospinningnanofiberssol-gel silicafuel cell membranes |
| spellingShingle | Leslie Dos Santos Devon Powers Ryszard Wycisk Peter N. Pintauro Electrospun Hybrid Perfluorosulfonic Acid/Sulfonated Silica Composite Membranes Membranes electrospinning nanofibers sol-gel silica fuel cell membranes |
| title | Electrospun Hybrid Perfluorosulfonic Acid/Sulfonated Silica Composite Membranes |
| title_full | Electrospun Hybrid Perfluorosulfonic Acid/Sulfonated Silica Composite Membranes |
| title_fullStr | Electrospun Hybrid Perfluorosulfonic Acid/Sulfonated Silica Composite Membranes |
| title_full_unstemmed | Electrospun Hybrid Perfluorosulfonic Acid/Sulfonated Silica Composite Membranes |
| title_short | Electrospun Hybrid Perfluorosulfonic Acid/Sulfonated Silica Composite Membranes |
| title_sort | electrospun hybrid perfluorosulfonic acid sulfonated silica composite membranes |
| topic | electrospinning nanofibers sol-gel silica fuel cell membranes |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0375/10/10/250 |
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