Flexible Nanocellulose/Lignosulfonates Ion-Conducting Separators for Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cells
The utilization of biobased materials for the fabrication of naturally derived ion-exchange membranes is breezing a path to sustainable separators for polymer electrolyte fuel cells (PEFCs). In this investigation, bacterial nanocellulose (BNC, a bacterial polysaccharide) and lignosulfonates (LS, a b...
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MDPI AG
2020-08-01
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| Series: | Nanomaterials |
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| author | Carla Vilela João D. Morais Ana Cristina Q. Silva Daniel Muñoz-Gil Filipe M. L. Figueiredo Armando J. D. Silvestre Carmen S. R. Freire |
| author_facet | Carla Vilela João D. Morais Ana Cristina Q. Silva Daniel Muñoz-Gil Filipe M. L. Figueiredo Armando J. D. Silvestre Carmen S. R. Freire |
| author_sort | Carla Vilela |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The utilization of biobased materials for the fabrication of naturally derived ion-exchange membranes is breezing a path to sustainable separators for polymer electrolyte fuel cells (PEFCs). In this investigation, bacterial nanocellulose (BNC, a bacterial polysaccharide) and lignosulfonates (LS, a by-product of the sulfite pulping process), were blended by diffusion of an aqueous solution of the lignin derivative and of the natural-based cross-linker tannic acid into the wet BNC nanofibrous three-dimensional structure, to produce fully biobased ion-exchange membranes. These freestanding separators exhibited good thermal-oxidative stability of up to about 200 °C, in both inert and oxidative atmospheres (N<sub>2</sub> and O<sub>2</sub>, respectively), high mechanical properties with a maximum Young’s modulus of around 8.2 GPa, as well as good moisture-uptake capacity with a maximum value of ca. 78% after 48 h for the membrane with the higher LS content. Moreover, the combination of the conducting LS with the mechanically robust BNC conveyed ionic conductivity to the membranes, namely a maximum of 23 mS cm<sup>−1</sup> at 94 °C and 98% relative humidity (RH) (in-plane configuration), that increased with increasing RH. Hence, these robust water-mediated ion conductors represent an environmentally friendly alternative to the conventional ion-exchange membranes for application in PEFCs. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T16:43:20Z |
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| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2079-4991 |
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| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T16:43:20Z |
| publishDate | 2020-08-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
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| series | Nanomaterials |
| spelling | doaj.art-d955008c0ccd4bda83d226bbdeff62392023-11-20T11:52:27ZengMDPI AGNanomaterials2079-49912020-08-01109171310.3390/nano10091713Flexible Nanocellulose/Lignosulfonates Ion-Conducting Separators for Polymer Electrolyte Fuel CellsCarla Vilela0João D. Morais1Ana Cristina Q. Silva2Daniel Muñoz-Gil3Filipe M. L. Figueiredo4Armando J. D. Silvestre5Carmen S. R. Freire6Department of Chemistry, CICECO-Aveiro Institute of Materials, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, PortugalDepartment of Chemistry, CICECO-Aveiro Institute of Materials, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, PortugalDepartment of Chemistry, CICECO-Aveiro Institute of Materials, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, PortugalDepartment of Materials and Ceramic Engineering, CICECO-Aveiro Institute of Materials, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, PortugalDepartment of Materials and Ceramic Engineering, CICECO-Aveiro Institute of Materials, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, PortugalDepartment of Chemistry, CICECO-Aveiro Institute of Materials, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, PortugalDepartment of Chemistry, CICECO-Aveiro Institute of Materials, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, PortugalThe utilization of biobased materials for the fabrication of naturally derived ion-exchange membranes is breezing a path to sustainable separators for polymer electrolyte fuel cells (PEFCs). In this investigation, bacterial nanocellulose (BNC, a bacterial polysaccharide) and lignosulfonates (LS, a by-product of the sulfite pulping process), were blended by diffusion of an aqueous solution of the lignin derivative and of the natural-based cross-linker tannic acid into the wet BNC nanofibrous three-dimensional structure, to produce fully biobased ion-exchange membranes. These freestanding separators exhibited good thermal-oxidative stability of up to about 200 °C, in both inert and oxidative atmospheres (N<sub>2</sub> and O<sub>2</sub>, respectively), high mechanical properties with a maximum Young’s modulus of around 8.2 GPa, as well as good moisture-uptake capacity with a maximum value of ca. 78% after 48 h for the membrane with the higher LS content. Moreover, the combination of the conducting LS with the mechanically robust BNC conveyed ionic conductivity to the membranes, namely a maximum of 23 mS cm<sup>−1</sup> at 94 °C and 98% relative humidity (RH) (in-plane configuration), that increased with increasing RH. Hence, these robust water-mediated ion conductors represent an environmentally friendly alternative to the conventional ion-exchange membranes for application in PEFCs.https://www.mdpi.com/2079-4991/10/9/1713bacterial nanocelluloselignosulfonatesmechanical performancethermal-oxidative stabilityion-exchange membranesbiobased separators |
| spellingShingle | Carla Vilela João D. Morais Ana Cristina Q. Silva Daniel Muñoz-Gil Filipe M. L. Figueiredo Armando J. D. Silvestre Carmen S. R. Freire Flexible Nanocellulose/Lignosulfonates Ion-Conducting Separators for Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cells Nanomaterials bacterial nanocellulose lignosulfonates mechanical performance thermal-oxidative stability ion-exchange membranes biobased separators |
| title | Flexible Nanocellulose/Lignosulfonates Ion-Conducting Separators for Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cells |
| title_full | Flexible Nanocellulose/Lignosulfonates Ion-Conducting Separators for Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cells |
| title_fullStr | Flexible Nanocellulose/Lignosulfonates Ion-Conducting Separators for Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cells |
| title_full_unstemmed | Flexible Nanocellulose/Lignosulfonates Ion-Conducting Separators for Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cells |
| title_short | Flexible Nanocellulose/Lignosulfonates Ion-Conducting Separators for Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cells |
| title_sort | flexible nanocellulose lignosulfonates ion conducting separators for polymer electrolyte fuel cells |
| topic | bacterial nanocellulose lignosulfonates mechanical performance thermal-oxidative stability ion-exchange membranes biobased separators |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2079-4991/10/9/1713 |
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