Titanium Dioxide Grafted on Graphene Oxide: Hybrid Nanofiller for Effective and Low-Cost Proton Exchange Membranes
A nanostructured hybrid material consisting of TiO<sub>2</sub> nanoparticles grown and stabilized on graphene oxide (GO) platelets, was synthesized and tested as nanofiller in a polymeric matrix of sulfonated polysulfone (sPSU) for the preparation of new and low-cost nanocomposite electr...
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MDPI AG
2020-08-01
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| Series: | Nanomaterials |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2079-4991/10/8/1572 |
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| author | Cataldo Simari Ernestino Lufrano Nicolas Godbert Dimitrios Gournis Luigi Coppola Isabella Nicotera |
| author_facet | Cataldo Simari Ernestino Lufrano Nicolas Godbert Dimitrios Gournis Luigi Coppola Isabella Nicotera |
| author_sort | Cataldo Simari |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | A nanostructured hybrid material consisting of TiO<sub>2</sub> nanoparticles grown and stabilized on graphene oxide (GO) platelets, was synthesized and tested as nanofiller in a polymeric matrix of sulfonated polysulfone (sPSU) for the preparation of new and low-cost nanocomposite electrolytes for proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) applications. GO-TiO<sub>2</sub> hybrid material combines the nanoscale structure, large interfacial area, and mechanical features of a 2D, layered material, and the hygroscopicity properties of ceramic oxides, able to maintain a suitable hydration of the membrane under harsh fuel cell operative conditions. GO-TiO<sub>2</sub> was synthetized through a new, simple, one-pot hydrothermal procedure, while nanocomposite membranes were prepared by casting using different filler loadings. Both material and membranes were investigated by a combination of XRD, Raman, FTIR, thermo-mechanical analysis (TGA and Dynamic Mechanical Analysis) and SEM microscopy, while extensive studies on the proton transport properties were carried out by Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) measurements and pulse field gradient (PFG) NMR spectroscopy. The addition of GO-TiO<sub>2</sub> to the sPSU produced a highly stable network, with an increasing of the storage modulus three-fold higher than the filler-free sPSU membrane. Moreover, the composite membrane with 3 wt.% of filler content demonstrated very high water-retention capacity at high temperatures as well as a remarkable proton mobility, especially in very low relative humidity conditions, marking a step ahead of the state of the art in PEMs. This suggests that an architecture between polymer and filler was created with interconnected routes for an efficient proton transport. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T17:40:43Z |
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| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T17:40:43Z |
| publishDate | 2020-08-01 |
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| record_format | Article |
| series | Nanomaterials |
| spelling | doaj.art-53d708368bf84adb8cbbb78a80f616d72023-11-20T09:42:29ZengMDPI AGNanomaterials2079-49912020-08-01108157210.3390/nano10081572Titanium Dioxide Grafted on Graphene Oxide: Hybrid Nanofiller for Effective and Low-Cost Proton Exchange MembranesCataldo Simari0Ernestino Lufrano1Nicolas Godbert2Dimitrios Gournis3Luigi Coppola4Isabella Nicotera5Department of Chemistry and Chemical Technologies, University of Calabria, 87036 Rende (CS), ItalyDepartment of Chemistry and Chemical Technologies, University of Calabria, 87036 Rende (CS), ItalyDepartment of Chemistry and Chemical Technologies, University of Calabria, 87036 Rende (CS), ItalyDepartment of Material Science and Engineering, University of Ioannina, 45110 Ioannina, GreeceDepartment of Chemistry and Chemical Technologies, University of Calabria, 87036 Rende (CS), ItalyDepartment of Chemistry and Chemical Technologies, University of Calabria, 87036 Rende (CS), ItalyA nanostructured hybrid material consisting of TiO<sub>2</sub> nanoparticles grown and stabilized on graphene oxide (GO) platelets, was synthesized and tested as nanofiller in a polymeric matrix of sulfonated polysulfone (sPSU) for the preparation of new and low-cost nanocomposite electrolytes for proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) applications. GO-TiO<sub>2</sub> hybrid material combines the nanoscale structure, large interfacial area, and mechanical features of a 2D, layered material, and the hygroscopicity properties of ceramic oxides, able to maintain a suitable hydration of the membrane under harsh fuel cell operative conditions. GO-TiO<sub>2</sub> was synthetized through a new, simple, one-pot hydrothermal procedure, while nanocomposite membranes were prepared by casting using different filler loadings. Both material and membranes were investigated by a combination of XRD, Raman, FTIR, thermo-mechanical analysis (TGA and Dynamic Mechanical Analysis) and SEM microscopy, while extensive studies on the proton transport properties were carried out by Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) measurements and pulse field gradient (PFG) NMR spectroscopy. The addition of GO-TiO<sub>2</sub> to the sPSU produced a highly stable network, with an increasing of the storage modulus three-fold higher than the filler-free sPSU membrane. Moreover, the composite membrane with 3 wt.% of filler content demonstrated very high water-retention capacity at high temperatures as well as a remarkable proton mobility, especially in very low relative humidity conditions, marking a step ahead of the state of the art in PEMs. This suggests that an architecture between polymer and filler was created with interconnected routes for an efficient proton transport.https://www.mdpi.com/2079-4991/10/8/1572graphene oxidenanocomposite membranesPEMFCsproton transportsulfonated polysulfone |
| spellingShingle | Cataldo Simari Ernestino Lufrano Nicolas Godbert Dimitrios Gournis Luigi Coppola Isabella Nicotera Titanium Dioxide Grafted on Graphene Oxide: Hybrid Nanofiller for Effective and Low-Cost Proton Exchange Membranes Nanomaterials graphene oxide nanocomposite membranes PEMFCs proton transport sulfonated polysulfone |
| title | Titanium Dioxide Grafted on Graphene Oxide: Hybrid Nanofiller for Effective and Low-Cost Proton Exchange Membranes |
| title_full | Titanium Dioxide Grafted on Graphene Oxide: Hybrid Nanofiller for Effective and Low-Cost Proton Exchange Membranes |
| title_fullStr | Titanium Dioxide Grafted on Graphene Oxide: Hybrid Nanofiller for Effective and Low-Cost Proton Exchange Membranes |
| title_full_unstemmed | Titanium Dioxide Grafted on Graphene Oxide: Hybrid Nanofiller for Effective and Low-Cost Proton Exchange Membranes |
| title_short | Titanium Dioxide Grafted on Graphene Oxide: Hybrid Nanofiller for Effective and Low-Cost Proton Exchange Membranes |
| title_sort | titanium dioxide grafted on graphene oxide hybrid nanofiller for effective and low cost proton exchange membranes |
| topic | graphene oxide nanocomposite membranes PEMFCs proton transport sulfonated polysulfone |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2079-4991/10/8/1572 |
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