Restructure proton conducting channels by embedding starburst POSS-g-acrylonitrile oligomer in sulfonic perfluoro polymer matrix
Zhang, X. Tay, S.W. Liu, Z. Hong, L.
Zhang, X.
Tay, S.W.
Liu, Z.
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Abstract
Unique starburst nanoparticles are synthesized via grafting polyacrylonitrile short chains to the cubic polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS) by atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP). Introduction of these branched nanoparticles (sb-POSS) into the sulfonic perfluoro polymer (SPFP, e.g. NafionĀ®) matrix in appropriate contents gives significant improvements in the performance of SPFP membranes as direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC). This enhancement is associated with the initial clustering of sb-POSS particles in the SPFP matrix when the sb-POSS content reaches to 5 wt.%. It has been found, from the differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) observation, that the SPFP molecules wage dual interactions on the sb-POSS particles, namely the hydrophobic perfluoro polymer chains of SPFP repel sb-POSS particles while the hydrophilic moieties associate with them. The content of sb-POSS strongly affects the assembly of hydrophilic channels in the membrane and, therefore, the membrane performance in a single direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC). The sb-POSS (5 wt.%)-SPFP composite membrane manifests an increase of 122% in power output of DMFC at 80 Ā°C. In brief, this work offers a new insight into how the unique interactions between soft nanoparticles and amphiphilic polymer chains affects performances of proton exchange membranes (PEMs) in DMFC. Ā© 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Keywords
Atom-transfer-radical polymerization, Direct methanol fuel cell, Hybrid nanoparticle, POSS, Proton conducting channel
Source Title
Journal of Membrane Science
Publisher
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Date
2009-03-05
DOI
10.1016/j.memsci.2008.12.050
Type
Article