Zirconium phosphate based proton conducting membrane for \DMFC\ application
By Jay Pandey and Murali Mohan Seepana and Anupam Shukla
Published in International Journal of Hydrogen Energy
2015
Abstract
A proton conducting poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) supported zirconium phosphate (ZrP) ion-exchange membrane (ZrP/PVDF) was synthesized for potential application in \DMFC\ by filling the pores of a \PVDF\ film with in-situ grown ZrP particles. Presence of labile protons attached to \PO\ group was confirmed from 1H \NMR\ and FT-IR characterizations. \SEM\ micrographs showed defect-free top surface. The thermal stability and mechanical strength of the ZrP/PVDF membrane was better than Nafion-117. Water to methanol uptake ratio was higher while methanol cross-over for ZRP/PVDF membrane was lower than Nafion-117. Membrane possessed fair electrochemical properties; 0.85 static counter-ion transport number, 0.76