A Nafion-Ceria Composite Membrane Electrolyte for Reduced Methanol Crossover in Direct Methanol Fuel Cells

Parthiban Velayutham, Akhila K. Sahu and Sridhar Parthasarathy
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Parthiban Velayutham: CSIR—Central Electrochemical Research Institute-Madras Unit, CSIR Madras Complex, Taramani, Chennai 600113, India
Akhila K. Sahu: CSIR—Central Electrochemical Research Institute-Madras Unit, CSIR Madras Complex, Taramani, Chennai 600113, India
Sridhar Parthasarathy: Mesha Energy Solutions Pvt. Ltd., Yeshwanthpur, Bengaluru 560022, India

Energies, 2017, vol. 10, issue 2, 1-13

Abstract: An alternative Nafion composite membrane was prepared by incorporating various loadings of CeO 2 nanoparticles into the Nafion matrix and evaluated its potential application in direct methanol fuel cells (DMFCs). The effects of CeO 2 in the Nafion matrix were systematically studied in terms of surface morphology, thermal and mechanical stability, proton conductivity and methanol permeability. The composite membrane with optimum filler content (1 wt. % CeO 2 ) exhibits a proton conductivity of 176 mS·cm ?1 at 70 °C, which is about 30% higher than that of the unmodified membrane. Moreover, all the composite membranes possess a much lower methanol crossover compared to pristine Nafion membrane. In a single cell DMFC test, MEA fabricated with the optimized composite membrane delivered a peak power density of 120 mW·cm ?2 at 70 °C, which is about two times higher in comparison with the pristine Nafion membrane under identical operating conditions.

Keywords: polymer electrolyte membrane; ceria; composite membranes; methanol crossover; direct methanol fuel cells (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2017
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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