Performance of Void-Free Electrospun SPEEK/Cloisite as a Function of Degree of Dispersion State on Nanocomposite Proton Exchange Membrane for Direct Methanol Fuel Cell Application

Nuha Awang^{1

2}, Juhana Jaafar^{3

4}, Ahmad Fauzi Ismail^{5

6}, Mohd Hafiz Dzarfan Othman^{7

8}, Mukhlis A Rahman^{9

10}

Affiliations

¹ Advanced Membrane Technology Research Centre (AMTEC), Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310 UTM Skudai, Johor Bahru, Malaysia. nuhaawang@yahoo.com.
² Faculty of Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310 UTM Skudai, Johor Bahru, Malaysia. nuhaawang@yahoo.com.
³ Advanced Membrane Technology Research Centre (AMTEC), Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310 UTM Skudai, Johor Bahru, Malaysia. juhana@petroleum.utm.my.
⁴ Faculty of Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310 UTM Skudai, Johor Bahru, Malaysia. juhana@petroleum.utm.my.
⁵ Advanced Membrane Technology Research Centre (AMTEC), Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310 UTM Skudai, Johor Bahru, Malaysia. afauzi@utm.my.
⁶ Faculty of Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310 UTM Skudai, Johor Bahru, Malaysia. afauzi@utm.my.
⁷ Advanced Membrane Technology Research Centre (AMTEC), Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310 UTM Skudai, Johor Bahru, Malaysia. hafiz@petroleum.utm.my.
⁸ Faculty of Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310 UTM Skudai, Johor Bahru, Malaysia. hafiz@petroleum.utm.my.
⁹ Advanced Membrane Technology Research Centre (AMTEC), Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310 UTM Skudai, Johor Bahru, Malaysia. mukhlis@petroleum.utm.my.
¹⁰ Faculty of Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310 UTM Skudai, Johor Bahru, Malaysia. mukhlis@petroleum.utm.my.

PMID: 30609744
PMCID: PMC6359155
DOI: 10.3390/membranes9010007

Performance of Void-Free Electrospun SPEEK/Cloisite as a Function of Degree of Dispersion State on Nanocomposite Proton Exchange Membrane for Direct Methanol Fuel Cell Application

Nuha Awang et al. Membranes (Basel). 2019.

. 2019 Jan 2;9(1):7.

doi: 10.3390/membranes9010007.

Authors

Nuha Awang^{1

2}, Juhana Jaafar^{3

4}, Ahmad Fauzi Ismail^{5

6}, Mohd Hafiz Dzarfan Othman^{7

8}, Mukhlis A Rahman^{9

10}

Affiliations

¹ Advanced Membrane Technology Research Centre (AMTEC), Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310 UTM Skudai, Johor Bahru, Malaysia. nuhaawang@yahoo.com.
² Faculty of Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310 UTM Skudai, Johor Bahru, Malaysia. nuhaawang@yahoo.com.
³ Advanced Membrane Technology Research Centre (AMTEC), Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310 UTM Skudai, Johor Bahru, Malaysia. juhana@petroleum.utm.my.
⁴ Faculty of Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310 UTM Skudai, Johor Bahru, Malaysia. juhana@petroleum.utm.my.
⁵ Advanced Membrane Technology Research Centre (AMTEC), Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310 UTM Skudai, Johor Bahru, Malaysia. afauzi@utm.my.
⁶ Faculty of Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310 UTM Skudai, Johor Bahru, Malaysia. afauzi@utm.my.
⁷ Advanced Membrane Technology Research Centre (AMTEC), Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310 UTM Skudai, Johor Bahru, Malaysia. hafiz@petroleum.utm.my.
⁸ Faculty of Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310 UTM Skudai, Johor Bahru, Malaysia. hafiz@petroleum.utm.my.
⁹ Advanced Membrane Technology Research Centre (AMTEC), Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310 UTM Skudai, Johor Bahru, Malaysia. mukhlis@petroleum.utm.my.
¹⁰ Faculty of Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310 UTM Skudai, Johor Bahru, Malaysia. mukhlis@petroleum.utm.my.

PMID: 30609744
PMCID: PMC6359155
DOI: 10.3390/membranes9010007

Abstract

One of the main problems in direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) application is methanol crossover. In order to solve the problem, an exfoliated void-free electrospun Sulfonated Poly(Ether Ether Ketone) (SPEEK)/cloisite nanocomposite membrane was developed. The membrane was prepared by immersing electrospun SPEEK/cloisite fiber mats onto incomplete solidified SPEEK polymer matrix. A well dispersed and reduction size of cloisite particles that ranges from 0.29⁻0.39 µm was observed by using Scanning Electron Microscopy Analysis (SEM) and Atomic Force Microscope (AFM). The effect of the morphology of the composite membrane in terms of degree of dispersion state of the Cloisite on the membrane performance was discussed. SP/e-spunCL15 with fully exfoliated structure exhibited the highest performance as compared to other tested membranes and Nafion^® 115 with current density of 1042.2 mAcm^-2 and power density of 1.18 mWcm^-2. Improved morphological, dimensional change properties, and performance assigned to well-dispersed cloisite15A induced by the electrospinning technique make the membranes more efficient for direct methanol fuel cell applications.

Keywords: DMFC; SPEEK/cloisite; electrospinning; exfoliated; void-free membrane.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Figures

**Figure 1**
(a–c) The preparation steps in producing void free dense SP/e-spunCL membranes [1].

**Figure 2**
The schematic diagram of fuel cell analyzer test system. DMFC: direct methanol fuel cell; MEA: Membrane Electrode Assembly.

**Figure 3**
FTIR spectra on casted Sulfonated Poly(Ether Ether Ketone) (SPEEK)/Cloisite membrane and SP/e-spunCL membrane.

**Figure 4**
XRD of all SP/e-spunCL membranes.

**Figure 5**
EDX qualitative analysis of cloisite (Si) distribution in SP/e-spunCL nanocomposite membranes (a) SP/e-spunCL10, (b) SP/e-spunCL15, (c) SP/e-spunCL20, (d) SP/e-spunCL25, (e) SP/e-spunCL30.

**Figure 6**
(a–e2): (a–e) FESEM surface images of all membranes (a) SP/e-spunCL10, (b) SP/e-spunCL15, (c) SP/e-spunCL20, (d) SP/e-spunCL25, (e) SP/e-spunCL30), (a1–e1) SEM images of SP/e-spunCL cross sectional areas (a1) SP/e-spunCL10, (b1) SP/e-spunCL15, (c1) SP/e-spunCL20, (d1) SP/e-spunCL25, (e1) SP/e-spunCL30), (a2–e2) FESEM images of SP/e-spunCL cross sectional areas (a2) SP/e-spunCL10, (b2) SP/e-spunCL15, (c2) SP/e-spunCL20, (d2) SP/e-spunCL25, (**6e2**) SP/e-spunCL30).

**Figure 7**
The comparison of methanol path between (a) SPEEK/cloisite membranes (b) Void-free SP/e-spunCL.

**Figure 8**
Long term stability effect in hydrated conditions of SP/e-spunCL nanocomposite membranes.

**Figure 9**
Swelling ratios in (a) plane and (b) thickness of SP/e-spunCL nanocomposite membranes.

**Figure 10**
Polarization curve of cell voltage and power density versus current density of SP/e-spunCL membranes and Nafion^®115 membranes.

See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

1. Awang N., Jaafar J., Ismail A.F. Thermal Stability and Water Content Study of Void-Free Electrospun SPEEK/Cloisite Membrane for Direct Methanol Fuel Cell Application. Polymers. 2018;10:194. doi: 10.3390/polym10020194. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
1. Junoh H., Jaafar J., Nor N.A.M., Awang N., Norddin M.N.A.M., Ismail A.F., Salleh W.N.W. Fabrication of Nanocomposite Membrane via Combined Electrospinning and Casting Technique for Direct Methanol Fuel Cell. J. Membr. Sci. Res. 2017;4:146–157.
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1. Awang N., Jaafar J., Ismail A.F., Othman M.H.D., Rahman M.A. Effects of SPEEK/Cloisite Concentration as Electrospinning Parameter on Proton Exchange Membrane for Direct Methanol Fuel Cell Application. Mater. Sci. Forum. 2017;890:278–284. doi: 10.4028/www.scientific.net/MSF.890.278. - DOI
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Performance of Void-Free Electrospun SPEEK/Cloisite as a Function of Degree of Dispersion State on Nanocomposite Proton Exchange Membrane for Direct Methanol Fuel Cell Application

Affiliations

Performance of Void-Free Electrospun SPEEK/Cloisite as a Function of Degree of Dispersion State on Nanocomposite Proton Exchange Membrane for Direct Methanol Fuel Cell Application

Authors

Affiliations

Abstract

Conflict of interest statement

Figures

References

LinkOut - more resources

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