Performance enhancement of direct methanol fuel cells using a methanol barrier boron nitride–Nafion hybrid membrane. (24th April 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Parthiban, V.; Sahu, A. K.
• Is Part Of: New journal of chemistry. Volume 44:Number 18(2020)
• Page Start: 7338
• Page End: 7349
• Publication Date: 2020-04-24
• Subjects: Chemistry -- Periodicals; Chimie -- Périodiques; 540
• DOI: 10.1039/d0nj00433b
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1144-0546

Abstract

Abstract : Sulfonated hexagonal boron nitride is explored as a potential filler to prepare Nafion hybrid membranes for direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) applications. Abstract : Sulfonated hexagonal boron nitride is explored as a potential filler to prepare Nafion hybrid membranes for direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) applications. The layered morphology of h-BN effectively suppresses the methanol crossover in the Nafion–h-BN membrane, while the presence of sulfonic acid groups improves the proton conductivity by providing an additional pathway for proton transport. Consequently, the Nafion–h-BN hybrid membranes display a significantly reduced methanol crossover current density. On the other hand, the optimized Nafion–h-BN hybrid membrane displays a proton conductivity of 214 mS cm −1, which is ∼58% higher than that of the pristine Nafion membrane. The single-cell DMFC employing Nafion–h-BN (0.75 wt%) membrane delivers a peak power density of 165 mW cm −2 at 70 °C, while only a peak power density of 65 mW cm −2 is achieved with the pristine Nafion under similar operating conditions.