Radiolytic Synthesis of Vinyl Polymer-Clay Nanocomposite Membranes for Direct Methanol Fuel Cell

Abstract

The three-type vinyl polymer-clay nanocomposite membranes with sulfonate (–SO3Na) are prepared by the solvent casting method after radiation-induced copolymerization for application of the direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) membrane. The three-type vinyl polymers in polymer-clay nanocomposite membranes are included in poly(styrene-co-sodium styrene sulfonate), poly(St-co-NaSS), poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate-co-NaSS), poly(HEMA-co-NaSS), and poly(acrylic acid-co-NaSS), and poly(AAc-co-NaSS). The proton conductivity (S/cm), water uptake (%), and ion-exchange capacity (meq/g) of the poly(St-co-NaSS)-clay nanocomposite membrane are 0.0779, 32.4, 3.63, respectively. The MeOH permeability of the poly(St-co-NaSS)-clay nanocomposite membrane is exhibited as7.7×10−9 mmol·cm−2·s−1. DMFC performance for poly(St-co-NaSS)-clay nanocomposite membrane is also measured in cell voltage and power density verses current density. As results, the poly(St-co-NaSS)-clay nanocomposite membrane can be used as a DMFC membrane on behalf of the commercial Nafion membrane.