Preparation and Characterization of Bipolar Membranes Modified by Adding Multi-Carboxylic Metallophthalocyanine Derivatives into the Cation Layer

Abstract

The multi-carboxylic metallophthalocyanine derivatives were added into carboxymethyl cellulose cation layer to prepare the modified carboxymethyl cellulose/chitosan bipolar membranes (CMC/CS BPMs), which were characterized using electric universal testing machine, contact angle measurer and so on. The results showed that the mechanical properties were increased after modification. Moreover, the ion exchange capacity, and the hydrophilicity of the modified CMC membrane dramatically rose. As the catalytic centers, the metallophthalocyanine derivatives sped up water splitting, decreased the membrane impedance and cell voltage. In comparison with the BPMs modified by mononuclear metallophthalocyanine derivatives, the catalytic ability for water splitting of the binuclear metallophthalocyanine derivatives (especially with different central metal ions) was enhanced. At the current density of 60 mA·cm-2, the cell voltage of the BPM modified by FeCoPc2(COOH)12 was only 5.3V.