Hydroxide-ion selective electrolytes based on a polybenzimidazole/graphene oxide composite membrane

Bor-Chern Yu, Yi-Chun Wang, Hsin-Chun Lu, Hsiu-Li Lin, Chao-Ming Shih, S. Rajesh Kumar and Shingjiang Jessie Lue

Energy, 2017, vol. 134, issue C, 802-812

Abstract: The objectives of this work are to prepare and characterize poly[2,2′-m-(phenylene)-5,5′-bibenzimidazole]/graphene oxide (PBI/GO) solid electrolyte for direct alcohol alkaline fuel cell (DAAFC) applications. GO nanosheets are coated onto a PBI surface using a spin coater to construct the PBI/GO composite membrane. The PBI/GO composite membrane exhibits an ionic conductivity of 2.53 × 10−2 S cm−1 at 80 °C, which is improved by 72–93% when compared with the pure PBI membrane. In addition, the methanol permeability is reduced by 18–25% by incorporating GO onto the PBI top surface. The peak power density (Pmax) of the PBI/GO electrolyte reaches 200 mW cm−2 when using alkaline methanol as fuel with Pt-based catalysts, or 120 mW cm−2 when fed with an ethanol and alkaline solution mixture at 80 °C. Replacing the Pt-based catalysts with Hypermec™ catalysts resulted in Pmax of 40 and 100 mW cm−2, for methanol and ethanol fuel cells, respectively. These superior DAAFC power outputs are ascribed to the improved anion conduction of the KOH doped GO and the suppressed methanol cross-over from high aspect ratio GO as the alcohol barrier layer.

Keywords: Graphene oxide (GO); Polybenzimidazole (PBI); Spin coating; Alkaline fuel cell; Cell performance (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2017
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:energy:v:134:y:2017:i:c:p:802-812

DOI: 10.1016/j.energy.2017.06.061

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