Electrospun Hybrid Perfluorosulfonic Acid/Sulfonated Silica Composite Membranes

Electrospinning was employed to fabricate composite membranes containing perfluorosulfonic acid (PFSA) ionomer, poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) reinforcement and a sulfonated silica network, where the latter was incorporated either in the PFSA matrix or in the PVDF fibers. The best membrane, in ter...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Membranes (Basel) 2020-09, Vol.10 (10), p.250
Main Authors: Santos, Leslie, Powers, Devon, Wycisk, Ryszard, Pintauro, Peter
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Acids
BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
biochemistry & molecular biology
chemistry
Conductivity
Electrospinning
ENGINEERING
Fibers
Fluorides
fuel cell membranes
Fuel cells
Humidity
INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
Ionomers
MATERIALS SCIENCE
Mechanical properties
Membranes
Nanofibers
Perfluoro compounds
polymer science
Polymers
Polyvinylidene fluorides
Protons
Reinforcing fibers
Relative humidity
Silica
Silicon dioxide
sol-gel silica
Swelling
Vinylidene fluoride
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Summary:Electrospinning was employed to fabricate composite membranes containing perfluorosulfonic acid (PFSA) ionomer, poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) reinforcement and a sulfonated silica network, where the latter was incorporated either in the PFSA matrix or in the PVDF fibers. The best membrane, in terms of proton conductivity, was made by incorporating the sulfonated silica network in PFSA fibers (Type-A) while the lowest conductivity membrane was obtained when sulfonated silica was incorporated into the reinforcing PVDF fibers (Type-B). A Type-A membrane containing 65 wt.% PFSA with an embedded sulfonated silica network (at 15 wt.%) and with 20 wt.% PVDF reinforcing fibers proved superior to the pristine PFSA membrane in terms of both the proton conductivity in the 30–90% RH at 80 °C (a 25–35% increase) and lateral swelling (a 68% reduction). In addition, it was demonstrated that a Type-A membrane was superior to that of a neat 660 EW perfluoroimide acid (PFIA, from 3M Co.) films with respect to swelling and mechanical strength, while having a similar proton conductivity vs. relative humidity profile. This study demonstrates that an electrospun nanofiber composite membrane with a sulfonated silica network added to moderately low EW PFSA fibers is a viable alternative to an ultra-low EW fluorinated ionomer PEM, in terms of properties relevant to fuel cell applications.
ISSN:2077-0375
2077-0375
DOI:10.3390/membranes10100250