Nanocomposite Membranes Based on Sulfonated Poly(etheretherketone) Structured with Modified Silica for Direct Ethanol Fuel Cell

• Published in: Macromolecular symposia. Vol. 245-246; no. 1; pp. 470 - 475
• Main Authors: Tan, Ai Ren, de Carvalho, Luisa Magno, de Ramos Filho, Florêncio Gomes, de Souza Gomes, Ailton
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Weinheim WILEY-VCH Verlag 01.12.2006; WILEY‐VCH Verlag
• Subjects: alcohol; barrier; composite; Ethanol; Ethyl alcohol; fuel cell; membrane; Membranes; Nanocomposites; Nanomaterials; Nanostructure; pervaporation; phosphotungstic acid; poly(ethersulfone) (PES); polymer blend; proton conductivity; silica; Silicon dioxide; Stability; sulfonated poly(aryletheretherketone) (SPEEK)
• ISSN: 1022-1360; 1521-3900
• DOI: 10.1002/masy.200651367

Polymer blend of sulfonated poly(oxy‐1,4phenyleneoxy‐1,4phenylenecarbonyl‐1,4phenylene) (SPEEK) and poly(ether sulfone) (PES) was compounded with commercial and synthesized silica. PES phase had important role to improve the stability and to reduce permeability of sulfonated matrix to alcohol solution, but it also reduced the proton conductivity of membrane. The addition of synthesized silica, which had heteropolyacid phosphotungstic acid (HPW) occluded inside the silica matrix (SiO2 · HPW) was evaluated to improve the conductivity.