Malaysian Journal of Analytical Sciences Vol 21 No 1 (2017): 113 - 118

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.17576/mjas-2017-2101-13

 

 

 

CHARACTERIZATION STUDIES OF SODIUM ALGINATE/SULFONATED GRAPHENE OXIDE BASED POLYMER ELECTROLYTE MEMBRANE FOR DIRECT METHANOL FUEL CELL

 

(Kajian Pencirian Bagi Membran Elektrolit Polimer Berasaskan Sodium Alginat/Sulfonat Grafin Oksida untuk Sel Bahan Api Metanol Langsung)

 

Norazuwana Shaari¹* and Siti Kartom Kamarudin²

 

¹Fuel Cell Institute

²Department of Chemical and Process Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment

Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 UKM Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia

 

*Corresponding author: ctie@ukm.edu.my

 

 

Received: 21 October 2015; Accepted: 14 June 2016

 

 

Abstract

This work used blending and casting method to synthesis sodium alginate/sulfonated-GO (SA/SGO) polymer electrolyte membrane for direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC). The composition of sulfonated-GO in the membrane is varied from 0 wt% to 1 wt%. The functional groups in the membrane were confirmed by Fourier Transform Infrared analysis. The water uptake capacity of the membrane as observed was reduced with addition of sulfonated-GO as filler in the membrane. Thus, the proposed membrane has good potential to be an alternative membrane in DMFC application.

 

Keywords:  fuel cell, graphene oxide, alginate, direct methanol fuel cell

 

Abstrak

Kerja ini menggunakan kaedah pemutus dan pengadunan untuk sintesis polimer membran elektrolit sodium alginat/ sulfonat-GO (SA/SGO) untuk aplikasi sel bahan api metanol langsung (DMFC). Komposisi sulfonat-GO dalam  membran diubah daripada 0% berat kepada 1% berat. Kumpulan berfungsi dalam membran telah disahkan oleh analisis Infra merah transformasi Fourier. Kapasiti pengambilan air oleh membran seperti yang diperhatikan telah berkurangan dengan penambahan sulfonat-GO sebagai pengisi dalam membran. Oleh itu, membran yang dicadangkan mempunyai potensi yang baik untuk menjadi membran alternatif dalam aplikasi DMFC.

 

Kata kunci:  sel bahan api, grafin oksida, alginat, sel bahan api metanol langsung

 

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